BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Due to a slight uptick in some of Boston's COVID-19 health metrics, the City will not be allowing restaurants to ease their indoor dining restrictions.
Mayor Marty Walsh said Wednesday that Boston's restaurants will continue to be allowed a maximum of six people per table, despite the state's new rules that will allow restaurants to seat ten people per table starting Monday.
Read More: Relaxed Restaurant Rules Start Monday In Massachusetts
"As far as the State metrics go, we are very close to moving into the “red” category on the map," Mayor Walsh said. "That could happen today or next week. It means we are seeing roughly eight new cases per day, per 100,000 population ... It has not crossed our threshold for major concern, but we’re monitoring it carefully."
The rise in COVID-19 activity in Boston includes a slight increase in the City's hospitalization numbers, and in some areas, COVID-19 positive test rates are above average.
While most Boston neighborhoods have under a three percent positive test rate, Walsh said last week East Boston’s positive test rate was six percent, Dorchester was around five percent, and Hyde Park and Roslindale were just over four percent.
Mayor Walsh encouraged Boston residents to continue washing hands, practicing social distancing, and limiting gathering sizes to help reduce the spread of the virus.
According to Chief of Health and Human Services Marty Martinez, the city's uptick is likely due to a combination of factors, including people coming together more over the summer. Martinez said colleges and universities in Boston have also been testing their new campus communities, which has "undoubtedly" been a part of the city's increase in COVID-19 cases.
As of this week, Walsh said the City's free mobile COVID-19 testing unit is at Grove Hall in Dorchester through Saturday, October 3rd, and is available to all residents with or without symptoms.
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