Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Boston

What you need to know:

• On September 22, the state issued updates to the safety standards for restaurants. On September 23, Mayor Walsh announced how these updates will be put in place for indoor and outdoor dining in Boston. These updated safety standards go into effect on September 28.
• All Boston Public Schools students start fully remote on September 21. The first students will not return to school until at least October 1.
• City Hall is only open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you need to visit City Hall for essential services, you must make an appointment.
• The plastic bag ordinance banning plastic bags at establishments in Boston will go back into effect on September 30.
• Boston is in Step 1 of Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan. We continue to update City-specific guidance for Boston on our reopening website.
• Park facilities, including athletic fields, courts, splash pads, and playgrounds are open as part of the City of Boston’s Phase 3 reopening.
• We have free breakfast and lunch sites across the City for youth and teens through the Boston Eats program.
• Most Boston Public Library locations are available during limited hours for patrons to pick up items on hold. Patrons are also able to use computers at the Central Library, but are limited to six reserved slots and four walk ups per timeslot.
• All Mass. residents over the age of two must wear a face covering or mask in public.
• Visit the MBTA's website for the latest public transit service updates.

For more recent City of Boston updates, view our COVID-19 timeline.

Since January, the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston EMS have taken extensive steps to prepare for a potential outbreak of COVID-19. BPHC and Boston EMS are trained to respond to infectious diseases. In the past, we have successfully stood up heightened awareness, monitoring and response approaches for SARS, MERS, and H1N1 flu. We will do the same for COVID-19.

BPHC is engaging in daily communications with the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), City of Boston departments and other community partners to make sure we have the latest information on guidance, best practices and recommendations. BPHC will provide updated information on this website and on our social media channels as it becomes available.