The Town of Brookline and Town Administrator Mel Kleckner are pleased to announce the expansion of public access to town facilities next month.
Beginning June 01, 2021, Brookline Town Hall will expand appointment hours and the operating hours of the concierge desk, which will operate from 08:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. on weekdays. From June 01-20, 2021, business in Town Hall will only be conducted by appointment.
On Monday, June 21, 2021, all town buildings will be open to the public. After June 21, 2021, appointments are not required but they are strongly encouraged. Following the updated CDC guidance, masks will no longer be required for vaccinated employees or members of the public inside Town Hall, but are required for individuals who are not vaccinated.
“We are grateful to be at a point where we can fully reopen our town facilities to the public and allow for business to resume in way that will largely resemble the pre-pandemic normal,” Town Administrator Kleckner said. “We are still strongly encouraging residents to make appointments at Town Hall so that we can best manage the flow of people through the building. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, but these are positive steps that we should all be excited by.”
The changes come after the Baker-Polito Administration’s announcement Monday, May 17, 2021, that the Commonwealth is on track to meet the goal of vaccinating 4.1 million residents by the first week of June, and nearly all remaining CoViD-19 restrictions will be lifted effective May 29, 2021.
Public Library of Brookline
The Public Library of Brookline will reopen to the public on June 01, 2021. The Library will continue to run programming exclusively virtually until September.
Additionally, all unvaccinated individuals — including children — will be required to wear masks at all times inside the library.
Senior Center
The Brookline Senior Center will reopen to the public June 01, 2021. It will be open Monday through Friday from 08:30 a.m. to 05:00 p.m., and programming will resume during the week of June 21, 2021. Additional updates on program offerings will be provided as they become available.
Public Health Building
The Public Health building will be open on an appointment-only basis until further notice.
Most Pandemic Restrictions to be Lifted Statewide May 29, 2021
Effective May 29, 2021, all industries will be permitted to open. With the exception of remaining face-covering requirements for public and private transportation systems and facilities housing vulnerable populations, all industry restrictions will be lifted, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries. The gathering limit will be rescinded.
All industries will be encouraged to follow CDC guidance for cleaning and hygiene protocols.
On May 18, 2020, the Administration published the reopening phases here, which called for ending restrictions when vaccines became widely available. Today, there are over 975 locations for Massachusetts residents to access vaccines without delay.
Getting Vaccinated
Those who are eligible but have not yet been vaccinated are strongly urged to do so. Vaccines have been thoroughly reviewed by federal regulators and have been determined to be both safe and highly effective. To find out where to obtain a vaccine, please see here.
All individuals over the age of 12 are eligible to be vaccinated in Masachusetts. There is no cost to be vaccinated.
Face Covering Guidance
In line with updated CDC face covering guidance, the Administration will rescind the current face covering order and issue a new face covering advisory effective May 29, 2021.
Non-vaccinated individuals are advised to continue wearing face masks and to continue distancing in most settings. The advisory will also recommend fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a face covering or social distance indoors or outdoors except for in certain situations.
Face coverings will still be required for all individuals on public and private transportation (including rideshares, livery, taxi, ferries, MBTA buses and rapid transit, Commuter Rail trains and inside transportation stations and on station platforms), healthcare facilities and providers, congregate care settings and health and rehabilitative day services.
Face coverings will also remain required indoors for staff and students of K-12 schools and early education providers.
For further guidance on masks, please visit here.
State of Emergency Order
Governor Baker will end the State of Emergency June 15, 2021, and the administration will work with legislative and municipal partners during this period in order to manage an orderly transition from emergency measures adopted by executive order and special legislation during the period of the State of Emergency.
There is currently proposed legislation at the state level to extend certain changes that were adopted during the pandemic, such as expanded outdoor dining. More information about those provisions will be announced when more information becomes available.
