MA Coronavirus: Here's Who Will Help Decide When State Reopens

BOSTON, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday Massachusetts will undergo a "phased reopening" after he extended the state's stay-at-home advisory an additional two weeks to May 18. The reopening will be guided by the Reopening Advisory Board, a 17-person board consisting of municipal, health and business leaders from across Massachusetts.

The board will advise the administration on reopening the economy in phases based on health and safety metrics. Some states have developed "phased reopening" plans based on region — Pennsylvania requires an area to have fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people over a two-week period before easing restrictions — while others are divided by industry — Ohio is allowing health care facilities like dentists and veterinarians to open May 1, followed by distribution and construction May 4 and consumer retail May 12.

The board is responsible for developing a report by May 18 that includes Department of Public Health-approved workplace safety standards, industry frameworks and customer protocols and guidelines.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy will co-chair the board. Its first meeting was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

The board will meet with key stakeholders and constituencies over the next three weeks. Baker said the report will be used as guidance, but input from health care experts and public health data such as coronavirus hospitalizations will dictate when the state reopens.

The members of the Reopening Advisory Board are below:

• Aron Ain, CEO, Kronos Inc & Ultimate Software

• Carlo Zaffanella, Vice President and General Manager, Maritime & Strategic Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems

• Corey Thomas, CEO, Rapid 7

• Daniel Rivera, Mayor, City of Lawrence

• Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital

• Girish Navani, CEO and Co-Founder, eClinicalWorks

• Joe Bahena, Senior Vice President, Joseph Abboud Manufacturing

• Kathryn Burton, Chief of Staff, City of Boston

• Laurie Leshin, Ph.D., President, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Linda Markham, President, Cape Air

• Mark Keroack, President & CEO, Baystate Health

• Monica Bharel, Ph.D., Commissioner, Department of Public Health

• Nicole LaChapelle, Mayor, City of Easthampton

• Pamela Everhart, Head of Regional Public Affairs and Community Relations, Fidelity Investments

• Stephanie Pollack, Transportation Secretary and CEO

• Steve DiFillippo, CEO, Davios Restaurants

• Wendy Hudson, Owner, Nantucket Book Partners