Will Protests Slow MA Reopening? Baker Says It's Too Soon To Tell
CAMBRIDGE, MA — People have been gathering in large groups across Massachusetts over the past few weeks to protest police brutality. But it's too soon to tell if those gatherings will lead to a spike in coronavirus cases in the state — and how it could affect the reopening plan.
On Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker said it will be "weeks" before the state knows if cases have spiked due to protests. He's set to announce the start date for phase 2 of the reopening Saturday, which will include services like indoor retail, outdoor dining and child care.
"I think we've all been pleased by the number of people wearing face coverings," Baker said Friday during his daily coronavirus briefing. "We won't really know the impact for the next couple of weeks."
The state added 494 new cases on Friday, compared to 471 added on Thursday. The state also added 35 new deaths. The total number of cases reached 102,557 on Friday with a total of 7,235 deaths since March.
READ: Middlesex Jail Reports Zero Coronavirus Cases
Baker, who spoke from the LabCentral biotechnology facility in Cambridge, also said the state has no plans to change testing protocol in response to the protests. But that could change if it appears coronavirus is spreading among demonstrations, he said.
Other signs of improvement are clear, Baker said. The positive test rate is down about 80 percent compared to mid-April, and hospitalizations were down to just over 1,600 statewide Friday. It's possible phase 2 could begin as soon as Monday.
Phase 3 could begin three weeks from Monday if coronavirus cases keep trending down. In that phase, facilities like gyms, movie theaters and museums could reopen.
Massachusetts has seen dozens of large and small demonstrations since George Floyd died May 25 after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.
The largest demonstrations have been in Boston, Worcester and Brockton — but smaller towns from Stoughton to Sudbury have also participated. It can take up to 14 days for someone to develop coronavirus symptoms, according to health officials.
Baker also said on Friday that next week he will make an announcement around transparency in law enforcement.
This article originally appeared on the Cambridge Patch
