Baker Administration issues stay-at-home advisory

By Joshua Foster 03/24/2020

Governor Charlie Baker ordered all non-essential businesses to close by mid-day Tuesday and strongly advised against non-essential travel, due to the death toll rising to nine in Massachusetts as of Monday.

The business closure order will last through April 7, but the date is open to change and may be extended. The Baker administration released a nine page list that detailed what businesses can stay open, including liquor stores, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

There are concerns that the business closure order will drive up unemployment in the state, after they already had a surge due to the ban on dine-in services.

Although Baker strongly advised Massachusetts residents to stay at home, he didn’t mandate them to. “I do not believe I can or should order US citizens to keep confined to their homes for days on end. It doesn’t make sense from a public health point of view, and it’s not realistic,” Baker said.