California will begin issuing regional, three-week stay-at-home orders, while Puerto Rico has announced a new lockdown on Sundays.
Updated Dec. 4, 2020.
Covid-19 cases continue to spike across the United States. In response, many states are taking steps to slow or reverse their reopening plans.
Beginning Dec. 5, California will impose regional stay-at-home orders on areas where less than 15 percent of intensive care beds are available. Under the three-week stay-at-home orders, restaurants can only serve take-out and delivery, and retail stores are limited to 25 percent capacity. Bars, wineries, museums, movie theaters, amusement parks and personal-care services must close (see below). In Puerto Rico, Gov. Wanda Vázquez has issued an islandwide lockdown on Sundays, from Dec. 7 through Jan. 7. All marinas have been ordered to close and the curfew has been tightened (see below).
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that on Dec. 7, outdoor gathering restrictions will be lowered from 150 people to 25, with some exceptions (see below). New gathering restrictions took effect in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 25. Outdoor gathering limits have been reduced from 50 people to 25. Indoor gatherings cannot exceed more than 10 people (see below). In Utah, a state of emergency that banned all social gatherings expired on Nov. 23. A new executive order does not include limits on gathering sizes, but planners are required to meet certain safety protocols, including completing an event management template and mandating that all guests wear face masks (see below). In New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced that the state will move to a red-to-green reopening system on Dec. 2, following a two-week lockdown ended on Nov. 30. Gathering restrictions will vary by county depending on the local risk level for Covid-19 (see below).
Nevada has reduced occupancy limits for restaurants, bars and casinos from 50 percent capacity to 25 percent. The new restrictions come as part of a three-week statewide pause, which began on Nov. 24 (see below). In Nashville, gatherings of more than eight people are prohibited as of Nov. 23 (see below). Also on Nov. 23, new restrictions in Delaware limit indoor public events to 30 percent of a venue's capacity, with a maximum of 50 people (see below).
New restrictions in Philadelphia running Nov. 20 through Jan. 1 will prohibit indoor dining, and museums, movie theaters, gyms and casinos are required to close. Indoor gatherings with more than one household are banned (see below). Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa has issued a mask mandate for everyone over the age of 2. Social gatherings are now limited in the state to no more than 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors (see below).
A partial lockdown began in Oregon Nov. 18. Indoor and outdoor social gatherings cannot exceed more than six people, from a maximum of two households and event venues must close (see below). In Michigan, the state's Department of Health and Human Services issued a three-week emergency order starting Nov. 18, which limits indoor residential gatherings to no more than two households (see below).
Chicago has announced a stay-at-home advisory, beginning Nov. 16. All meetings and events are limited to 10 people. The advisory is expected to last for 30 days (see below). Meanwhile, Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota issued a mask mandate on Nov. 14, which will remain in effect through Dec. 13. Event venues must abide by new tiered capacities (see below). In Washington state, Gov. Jay Inslee announced statewide restrictions, which will remain in place through Dec. 14. During this time, indoor dining and business meetings at convention centers, hotels and event venues are prohibited (see below).
Mask mandates have spread throughout the country, with more than 34 U.S. states now requiring facial coverings to be worn in public — most recently in Mississippi and Vermont.
Meanwhile, some state leaders have begun to ease restrictions around travel and events. Hawaii relaxed its mandatory 14-day quarantine order for travelers on Oct. 15. Visitors who provide proof of a negative test for the virus can now avoid quarantining on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Island of Hawaii. Kauai, however, is suspending its participation in the pretravel testing program and is requiring that all visitors quarantine for 14 days, beginning on Dec. 2 (see below).
State-by-state updates follow.
See the full list at Northstar Meetings Group.