The final phase of the COVID-19 reopening plan begins in Massachusetts on Monday, complete with relaxed travel restrictions and the return of outdoor dining in almost all of Boston.
Large entertainment and sports venues such as the TD Garden and Fenway Park will be able to reopen to fans, albeit in a limited capacity.
In addition, public gatherings of up to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors are the new maximum, but private gatherings won't be able to get any larger, with the limit still at 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors.
Under the guidelines set forth by Gov. Charlie Baker, Massachusetts' large venues will be permitted to admit up to 12% of their full capacity.
For the Garden, this means roughly 2,350 fans and a little more than 4,500 fans at Fenway. It is unclear how the Bruins' recent COVID-19 pause, which postponed the first game due to have fans back on Tuesday, will affect their next scheduled home game, Thursday vs. the Islanders at 7 p.m. in Boston.
The Red Sox' first home game, the season opener, is scheduled for Thursday, April 1. Businesses around Fenway Park are awaiting the arrival of the local nine.
Summer camps, exhibitions and convention halls will also be allowed to operate under Phase 4, and weddings and other events may include dance floors.
Meanwhile, outdoor dining makes its return to Boston Monday, except in the North End, which has to wait until April because of its density.
The travel order that's been in effect in Massachusetts has been replaced by a travel advisory, in which anyone arriving in the state after being elsewhere for more than 24 hours will be advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival, but no longer required to do so.
Fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from the advisory, along with travelers who have a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts.
There's even more change coming in Massachusetts Monday: more people will be eligible for vaccines.
Massachusetts residents at least 60 years old and a new group of essential workers will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, including grocery store and restaurant workers.
The next group of residents eligible for the vaccine includes those aged 55 and older or residents with one certain medical condition, beginning April 5.
