Gov. Charlie Baker: No Further COVID-Related Closures Planned At This Time
BOSTON (CBS) - Governor Charlie Baker said Massachusetts is not planning any further closures or restrictions at this time. "The public will be given - as they had been in almost every instance and circumstance since the beginning of this - clear notice before anything new goes into effect," Baker said Tuesday.
According to the governor, the new COVID-19 case growth has slowed over the last ten days. "This lower case growth and steady positive rates are an improvement compared to the sharp increases that we saw a few weeks before. That didn't happen by accident," he said.
"Our cases arise from household spread and informal gatherings, where people are letting down their guard, particularly when they're with people they know."
Heading into the holiday season, Baker encouraged residents to continue wearing masks and limit gatherings.
Thirty-six clusters have been connected to houses of worship in Massachusetts, leading to 316 confirmed cases and 150 close contacts.
"We know that houses of worship have always served as a place of refuge, especially in difficult times like this," Baker said. "We continue to ask all of our faith leaders and residents who practice, to engage in safe policies, protocols, and procedures."
There were 1,166 new confirmed COVID cases and 25 additional deaths in Massachusetts on Monday. The seven-day weighted average of positive tests in the state is currently 3.93%.
