COVID-19 pandemic in Boston

Marriott Long Wharf hotel in Boston, the site of the Biogen company meeting to which most early COVID-19 cases in Boston were traced

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported by state officials on February 1. The individual, a male in his 20s, had recently returned from Wuhan, China and began experiencing symptoms. He sought medical care but did not require hospitalization, and was therefore able to self-isolate and recover at home.[1][5]

175 executives of Biogen, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, held a two-day leadership conference from February 26–28 at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel.[6] On February 29, a Biogen executive began to develop symptoms and sought treatment at a Boston area hospital. Suspecting COVID-19 was the cause of the illness, the executive requested a test, but was told by hospital staff that it was not necessary.[6][7][8]

On March 6, the Boston Public Health Commission announced three new presumptive cases of SARS-CoV-2.[5] Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency for the state of Massachusetts on March 10.[5] Boston announced the closure of the Eliot K-8 school on March 11.[5] On March 13, the 2020 Boston Marathon was postponed to September 14, 2020.[5] Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced the closure of all Boston schools.[5]

On March 15, Mayor Walsh declared a public health emergency due to the concerns over COVID-19. Restaurants, bar rooms, and nightclubs were required to reduce their capacity by at least 50 percent.[5] Governor Charlie Baker limited gatherings to below 25 people.[5]

On March 16, Mayor Walsh announced the closure of the Boston Public Library system. The MBTA also announced that service would be reduced starting March 17. Mayor Walsh also announced the closure of all construction sites starting March 17.[5] On March 18, the City of Boston closed all playgrounds.[5]

On March 19, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission suspended all water service terminations.[5] On March 23, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an order for all employers that do not provide essential services to close their workspaces. The limit of gatherings was lowered to 10 people. Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a two-week stay-at-home advisory.[5] On March 25, Governor Baker extended the closure of schools to May 4.[5]

On March 30, Mayor Walsh announced that a partnership will create subsidized housing for a thousand Boston Public Schools families at risk of displacement.[5] On March 31, Governor Baker extended his non-essential business closure to May 4.[5]

On April 2, Mayor Walsh announced plans to convert the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) into a field hospital with 500 beds assigned to the homeless and 500 to accept COVID-19 patients from city hospitals.[9]

On April 5, Mayor Walsh announced new regulations for social distancing in Boston. He encouraged everyone to wear a face covering when outside. The BPHC ordered for everyone except essential workers stay at home from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am every day, enforcing a curfew.

On April 5, Boston City Hall was closed to the public except for Tuesdays and Fridays, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Every individual entering City Hall, including employees, was required to complete a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms.[5] On April 9, a new mortgage relief partnership was created to aid homeowners during the pandemic.[5]

On April 16, Mayor Walsh announced that a thousand residents will be invited to a Massachusetts study related to COVID-19 antibody testing.[5] On April 19, Boston deployed seven Boston Public Works trucks to broadcast a message about COVID-19.[5]

On April 21, Governor Baker announced the closure of all K-12 schools in Massachusetts through the end of the school year.[5] On April 27, Boston Public Health Commission extended the public health emergency declaration until further notice.[5]

On April 28, Governor Baker extended the stay-at-home advisory and non-essential business closure to May 18.[5] On April 29, the Public Health Advisory enforcing a curfew in Boston was extended to May 18.[5]

On May 1, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker ordered all residents to wear a mask in public places when social distancing measures are not possible. This order goes into effect on May 6.[5] On May 4, hundreds of protesters gathered near the Massachusetts State House to protest closures.[10]

On May 6, the city of Boston launched a major expansion in the public testing of COVID-19 in Boston.[11] The Boston Resiliency Fund awarded $1 million in grants to assist organizations helping to aid residents impacted most by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] On May 8, Boston city officials announced that all parades and festivals were to be suspended to and on September 7.[12]

On May 13, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced his guidelines for reopening, starting May 18. He mentioned that the reopening will be in four phases, from now to later this year. The first phase, will be very strict reopening, with just a few businesses opening again and with major social distancing and mask wearing regulations. The second phase will be cautious, with strict regulations remaining but more businesses reopening. The third phase will be a vigilant phase where most businesses open, but with very strict regulations. The fourth and final phase, as Baker stated, will be when a COVID-19 vaccine allows resumption of a new normal. In any of the first three phases, Baker states the state may have to go back a phase, if COVID-19 starts spreading again. Governor Baker stated that more details will be mentioned on May 18.[13]

Exterior of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The BCEC was converted to a field hospital, but stopped accepting new patients in May.

On May 16, Mayor Walsh released results of antibody testing among Boston residents. Voluntarily, 1,000 residents were signed up and 786 were eligible. 750 residents participated in COVID-19 antibody testing. Mayor Walsh stated that antibodies were present in 9.9% of the 750 residents. 2.6% of the residents were asymptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19. Mayor Walsh stated that the city can draw a conclusion that most residents have not been yet exposed to the virus.[14]

On May 18, Governor Baker released the details of the plan to reopen businesses in Massachusetts, and renamed the stay-at-home advisory to a "safer at home" advisory. The plan allows places of worship, essential businesses, manufacturing businesses, and construction sites to reopen with strict restrictions on May 18. Also as of May 18, hospitals and health centers may begin providing urgent preventative care and treatment services to high-risk patients. Baker also announced that people who choose to ride the MBTA will be required to wear masks. Beginning on May 25, additional businesses will be able to open, also with restrictions. Although Baker's plan includes office buildings in the list of businesses allowed to open on May 25, offices within Boston will not be allowed to open until June 1.[15]

On May 19, the City of Boston announced that construction sites were to open slowly. The city was to allow necessary construction on schools and hospitals until May 25. On May 26, all construction was to be allowed in Boston, with social distancing and mask wearing.[5]

On May 26, Baker stated in a press conference that the surge in COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts is over, which is evidenced by declining numbers of people hospitalized by the disease. He announced that the Boston Hope field hospital, located in Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, would no longer be accepting new patients. The facility has treated over 700 people infected with COVID-19, and has provided shelter to some of Boston's homeless community. Baker also mentioned that other field hospitals will begin to close as well.[16]

On May 28, the Boston Marathon was cancelled for the first time in 124 years. Mayor Walsh cancelled after stating that a marathon attracting 30,000 runners was not feasible this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the marathon was to be held as a virtual event.[17]

On May 28, Mayor Walsh announced a new "healthy streets" program to promote social distancing in the roads of Boston. The buses and MBTA trains would not accept as many passengers and locations of bus stops and train stops would change. Mayor Walsh announced that bike lanes would be built fast, to allow social distancing for bikes. These bike lanes were to be built rapidly, as they were necessary. The city would also be supporting small businesses in Boston. The city will help move some restaurants outdoors, to further allow social distancing.[18]

On May 29, the City of Boston released a "return to workplace framework" to safely reopen workplaces. Social distancing of 6 feet was to be enforced in all workplaces. Workplaces were to reduce capacity to 25% of their original capacity. All workplaces were required to ensure access to handwashing facilities on site, including soap and running water, wherever possible and encourage frequent handwashing; alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol were allowed to be used as an alternative. Workplaces were to avoid sharing office materials. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently were to be enforced in all workplaces in Boston.[19]

Massachusetts Governor Baker announced on June 6 that Phase 2 of his reopening plan was to begin on June 8. The first portion of the phase will allow childcare, day camps, lodging retail stores, and outdoor seating at restaurants to reopen under strict regulations. Additional services, including indoor dining and nail and tanning salons, will be allowed to reopen at an unspecified later date as a part of phase two if the positive trends in COVID-19 cases continue.[20]

On June 8, the Public Health Advisory enforcing a curfew in Boston from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am was lifted.[21] This came with the start of Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan. Residents were now free to be out of their homes at night, with social distancing and mask wearing in place.[3]

On June 9, Mayor Walsh and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center set up a new pop-up testing site in Roxbury. This is as a result of the recent protests in and around Boston over the Killing of George Floyd. This testing site was to be open June 10 and June 11 from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm to the general public in Washington Park Mall's parking lot.[22]

On June 11, the Cambridge-based biotech company Moderna announced they had developed a COVID-19 vaccine ready to be tested in a large scale. Moderna had 30,000 volunteers ready to test the vaccine, to see its effects. In July, Moderna will test this vaccine near Boston. If the tests end up successful, they will be able to start vaccinating the general public.[23]

On June 11, Massachusetts announced a study with 150 volunteers to test if COVID-19 survivor plasma can prevent COVID-19. Thousands of COVID-19 patients worldwide have been treated with convalescent plasma already. If this method of therapy proves effective, it will be used worldwide in most patients. This was stated as a possible new method to eradicate COVID-19 worldwide.[24]

On June 12, Boston Public Library announced the launch of their "BPL to Go" program on June 22. This program allowed patrons to "order" library items by placing a hold on the item, and then safely picking up the item from a branch library. This program was created by Boston to allow residents to resume checking out items from libraries while still staying safe from COVID-19.[25]

On June 12, the Boston Bruins team announced that one of their players had tested positive for COVID-19. Phase 2 of the reopening plan required all Bruins players to be tested before using any team facilities. The team was told that the player, whose identity remains confidential, was asymptomatic so far.[26]

On June 15, Boston reopened all city playgrounds for the first time in three months. As the city was reopening, Mayor Walsh stated that playgrounds should reopen, although with strict restrictions in place.[27]

On June 17, the state of Massachusetts urged everyone who participated in the George Floyd protests in Massachusetts to get tested for COVID-19. The state had set up over 50 pop-up free testing sites specifically for these protesters. These testing sites were to be open only on June 17 and June 18.[28]

On June 19, many restaurants in Boston announced that they were closing permanently. They had lost money due to COVID-19 and reopening wasn't safe for many months, so these restaurants were forced to close.[29]

On June 19, Massachusetts Governor Baker announced that Step 2 of Phase 2 of reopening in Massachusetts was to begin on June 22. This change came as Governor Baker stated that the trends of COVID-19 statewide have been positive. This will allow indoor dining, nail salons, and tanning salons to begin opening. Also, workplaces in Boston, which were previously required to reduce capacity to 25%, were now allowed to increase capacity to 50% of their original capacity before the pandemic.[30]

On June 23, Governor Baker announced the test results of those who has participated in Black Lives Matter protests. He announced that only 2.5% of the protesters who tested were positive, and Governor Baker stated that he was very pleased with these results.[31]

As of June 26, Boston had 13,399 confirmed cases of COVID-19.[2] As of June 25, a total of 1,317 cases (9.8%) were healthcare workers.[note 1] Deaths in Boston have been concentrated among the elderly. As of June 26, Boston had 705 reported deaths due to SARS-CoV-2.[2] Many deaths from COVID-19 have been at long-term care facilities. As of June 22, a total of 322 COVID-19 related deaths in Boston were in long-term care facilities.[3]

Cases have been more common and concentrated among the elderly.

Overall, cases and case rates have been approximately equal across both genders in Boston.

The Boston Public Health Commission has rolled out a data dashboard for COVID-19 which is updated daily through Boston's government website.

Most Boston COVID-19 cases were traced to a district by Boston Public Health Commission. BPHC releases a public weekly report on COVID-19 cases by district in Boston.

Many Boston COVID-19 confirmed cases were attributed to a race/ethnicity by the Boston Public Health Commission. BPHC updates these numbers on weekdays.

Most Boston COVID-19 deaths were also identified to a race/ethnicity. BPHC updates these numbers on weekdays as well.