EMILY: RESTAURANTS, HEALTH CLUBS AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN MASSACHUSETTS CAN NOW INVITE MORE CUSTOMERS INDOORS UNDER NEW RULES THAT TOOK EFFECT THIS MORNING. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. ROBIN COLGROVE, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT MOUNT AUBURN HOSPITAL. GOVERNOR BAKER IS ALLOWING THESE BUSINESSES TO INCREASE CAPACITY FROM 25% TO 40%. HE CITES THE STATE’S DECLINE IN COVID NUMBERS. DO YOU THINK IT’S SAFE TO ROLL BACK SOME OF THESE INDOOR RESTRICTIONS? >> THE HONEST ANSWER IS THAT NOBODY KNOWS. WE ARE IN UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY. NO ONE HAS EVER DONE THIS ON THIS SCALE WITH A PANDEMIC LIKE THIS. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WATCH AND SEE IF IT WILL WORK. EMILY: TO THAT POINT, PANDEMIC FATIGUE IS REAL, AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSE. IF THEY DO WANT TO DO THIS, WHAT SHOULD THEY CONSIDER BEFORE BOOKING A TABLE AT A RESTAURANT? >> ALL THE NORMAL THINGS. HOW MANY VIRUSES CAN GET TO YOU? YOU WANT TO BE IN A RESTAURANT WITH GOOD VENTILATION. YOU WANT TO BE WEARING A MASK, WHENEVER YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY EATING. EACH ONE OF THESE THINGS ADDS UP. EMILY: WE LEARNED TODAY THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF APPOINTMENTS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE AGE 75 OR OLDER TO GET VACCINATED THIS WEEK. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BARRIERS ARE AT THIS POINT? AND HOW CRITICAL IS IT FOR THIS GROUP TO GET THEIR SHOTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT? >> THIS IS SOMETHING OF UNPRECEDENTED SCALE. TRYING TO ROLL OUT THIS VACCINE AT SUCH A LARGE-SCALE AND RAPIDLY, THERE HAVE BEEN ALL SORTS OF CHALLENGES. THE MAIN BARRIER IS BEING ABLE ON TOP OF THAT, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF ISSUES WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. EMILY: WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS RECENTLY. STUDENTS ARE IN A STRICT LOCKDOWN AFTER CASES SPIKED. DO YOU THINK THAT THE STUDENT LOCKDOWN’S WORK? >> THEY WORK IF THEY ARE ESPECIALLY DRACONIAN. REACTIONS NEED TO BE SWIFT AND DECISIVE. HALF MEASURES DO NOT WORK. STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE THIS LESSON BECAUSE THE RULES MATTER FOR THAT AS WELL. EM