LYNN — Residents who are not receiving or providing “essential services” during the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. will not be able to go out during those hours, Mayor Thomas M. McGee said Saturday.
The city of Lynn is enforcing a curfew amidst the pandemic of COVID-19. The City Council, the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Health, and the City Solicitor’s Office have issued two orders: First, unless a resident or visitor of Lynn is “actively providing or receiving” essential services, they must stay inside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Second, sick individuals are prohibited from leaving their homes unless they are receiving medical care.
Both orders are effective Sunday. There are other provisions:
“Non-essential gatherings” of any size are prohibited, and any concentration of people outside homes is limited to essential workers and people receiving essential services. People who leave the home are also required to cover their noses and mouths with a “cloth face covering, such as a fabric mask, scarf or bandana,” as well as staying at least six feet from others, when visiting an essential business or public place.
“Surgical masks or N-95 respirators are not recommended for members of the general public in an effort to preserve medical PPE for healthcare workers and first responders,” McGee said.
All essential services must also limit the number of customers and staff inside the establishment to 40 percent of their existing occupancy permit. Employees are required to wear face coverings when interacting with the public co-workers, businesses must enact a plan for the cleaning and sanitizing of high-touch surfaces regularly, and must have markings or signage on the floor to establish proper social distance between customers.
Also, the order prohibits customers from entering restaurants, bars, and other establishments and instead allows business to be conducted either by a drive-through window, curbside pickup or delivery.
Landlords and owners are also prohibited from enforcing evictions upon Lynn residents, and cannot access a resident’s living space for general inspections, displaying units, and other activities. Landlord’s may only access living spaces to make repairs requested by a tenant or required by law, or for life-threatening emergencies. Failure to comply with the orders carries a fine of up to $1,000.
“As the outbreak of COVID-19 through person-to-person transmission continues to significantly affect the way of life and health of our community here in Lynn, we must take additional steps to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread to protect the health and welfare of all us,” said McGee.
“These orders will ensure that the entire community can achieve the maximum amount of social distancing, while continuing to provide and receive essential services, and ultimately slow the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent that we can,” McGee said.
“By taking these measures now, we get closer and closer to a time where we can all be together again,” he said. “This requires patience and discipline as we all work together as one Lynn. I am confident that we will get through this crisis by standing firm, and emerge stronger than ever.”
For a full reading of the orders, visit www.lynnma.gov.
