BY JOSH RESNEK
Phase 2 milestones for a return to the new normal have been reached, according to the state government and Governor Charlie Baker.
Retail stores, restaurants, and hotels and lodging services can all open with certain restrictions.
Those restrictions include retail stores allowing customers inside as long as they adhere to strict protocols including limited occupancy.
It is the moment when Everett and all the cities and towns in Massachusetts begin to reopen in real time in a more concerted manner against the backdrop of the Coronavirus still spreading among us and taking lives everyday.
The main component of the reopening is restaurants being allowed to reopen but outside only to begin with and with social distancing requirements in force and enforced by local health authorities.
In this city, such a situation is hardly cause for joy as food retailers are married to the ever-changing New England weather and limited space requirements outside their locations.
Hotels, motels, and inns can reopen but with restrictions.
The city’s parks will be reopened but with social distancing enforced.
Movie theaters remain closed and performance venues also. Large capacity venues and spectator events remain closed. Funeral homes can now return to 40% of their capacity limits.
Youth sports activities remain closed down except for supervised activity.
In the Coronavirus department, Everett has reported 1,691 confirmed cases as of Tuesday morning.
New cases are slowing.
Deaths remain steady at about 25-30, with no real way to know who died of what.
In essence, the numbers are going down here but this is not the way it is throughout the state or the region or in more than 20 states throughout the nation where large spikes of infected have been reported since last week.