What Is Open, Closed During MA Stay-At-Home Advisory

By Jenna Fisher

Gov. Charlie Baker issued a stay-at-home advisory and ordered all non-essential businesses closed starting noon Tuesday until April 7 in an effort to mitigate the spread of the new coronavirus.

But that raises the question: What’s essential? Baker’s advisory applied the term to a wide swath of businesses and professions.

There are 14 categories considered essential, according to the governor:

• Health care & public health
• Law enforcement, public safety and first responders
• Food and agriculture
• Critical manufacturing
• Transportation
• Energy
• Water and Wastewater
• Public works
• Communication and information technology
• Financial services
• Defense Industry Base
• Chemical Manufacturing and hazardous materials
• Other designated community-based essential function and government operations
• News media

Here’s a closer look at what can stay open and what workers are essential:

• Air transportation – airports
• Auto repair shops
• Auto supply stores
• Construction workers who work on housing, bridges, airports and other infrastructure
• Convenience stores
• Educators, staff who support learning for students with disabilities, or provision for school meals
• Electricians
• Exterminators
• Food Pantries
• Grocery stores, shippers, wholesalers
• Gas stations
• Hardware stores
• Home appliance retailers
• Home improvement retailers
• Hotel workers
• Inspectors
• Laundromats
• Liquor stores
• Medical facilities
• Medical marijuana establishments
• Medical and pharmaceutical companies
• MBTA, buses, trains, commuter rail
• Online stores
• Pharmacies
• Pet supply and food stores
• Plumbers
• Port authority
• Post Office, and other shipping companies
• Security staff
• Shelters
• Utility companies
• Weather forecasters
• Wildlife management
• Workers at places of worship

There is no ban on travel, so trains, buses and subways will continue to run.