According to the updated safety standards and checklist page for restaurants within the mass.gov site, a "restaurant" is defined as a place that has seated food service where the food is prepared on-site and in which the spot has a "retail food permit issued by a municipal authority pursuant to 105 CMR 590.000." The note goes on to say that "potato chips, pretzels, and other pre-packaged or manufactured foods" are not considered food that is prepared on-site, meaning that any bars that are only offering such items with people's drinks will not be able to be open until Phase 4. CBS Boston mentions that Governor Charlie Baker said the following in today's press conference in reference to the issue:
Bars are closed in Massachusetts. Bars masquerading as restaurants also need to be closed. Previously, health and inspection officials have been tasked with enforcing many of these COVID orders, today I'm authorizing all state and local police officers to enforce these orders, and event hosts who violate these orders will be subject to fine.
CBS says that a new COVID Enforcement and Intervention Team will be set up to carry out the orders, including the issuing of fines. (The safety standards and checklist page says that the updated standards will take effect on Tuesday, August 11.)
As of now, it appears that Phase 4 will not commence until a therapeutic and/or vaccine is in place to fight the coronavirus.
[Earlier Articles]
The Uncertainty of Phase 4 and How It Creates a Nightmarish Situation for Certain Bars and Clubs in Massachusetts
Reopening of Bars in Massachusetts Has Been Pushed Back to Phase 4 -- But What Constitutes a Bar?
by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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