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Saugus Board of Health Eases COVID-19 Business Restrictions
By Elyse Carmosino | May 23, 2020
SAUGUS — The Saugus Board of Health voted 5-0 Thursday to ease some restrictions on businesses put in place three weeks ago to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
In a letter to the board, interim Director of Public Health Robert Bracey gave recommendations for which stores he thought should be allowed to increase their customer limits.
Bracey’s suggestions included an increase to 200 persons inside the building at one time at Lowe’s, 200 at Walmart, 125 at Home Depot, 125 at Target, and 60 at Ocean State Job Lots. He also recommended for Stop & Shop and Big Y to maintain their occupancy limits.
Additionally, Walmart and Lowe’s requested to increase their occupancy limit by 50 persons on weekends, which former Director of Public Health Joseph Tabbi — who assisted Bracey in visiting Saugus businesses to assess how well they were implementing the new guidelines — told the board he supported.
“Both establishments have done a great job as far as maintaining safe distancing,” he said. “They’re doing everything that they possibly can.”
Tabbi said he offered several businesses in town the option to increase their customer capacity, but some, including Home Depot, chose not to.
At Thursday’s meeting, the board supported the new occupancy limits set forth by the Health Department, as well as the additional persons requested at Lowe’s and Walmart.
“I personally don’t have a problem with the extra 50 people on the weekend, especially at two establishments that have shown that they understand the urgency of social distancing and only allowing a certain number of people,” said Board of Health chair William Heffernan.
Restrictions released earlier this month initially allowed no more than 25 people in any of Saugus’ convenience stores at one time; no more than 50 inside Target stores, Ocean State Job Lot, Lowe’s, or Home Depot; no more than 75 inside Trader Joes and J. Pace; no more than 150 inside other grocery stores, including Stop & Shop and Big Y; and no more than 100 inside Walmart stores.
When the board first addressed resident complaints last week, Heffernan said the restrictions had been put in place with the expectation they would be adjusted at a later date once the board was given a chance to reassess.
Heffernan also continued to emphasize that the health and safety of Saugus residents was his top priority.
“I’m all for getting more people out and about, but by doing things the safe way,” he said. “We obviously don’t want to see cases spike again because then we’re only going to go backwards.”
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].