EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency will end on May 11th this year.

The Easthampton Board of Health announced on Tuesday that they will align their policies with the state so that businesses and residents can be prepared for the end of the public health emergency.

On April 1st, all extensions of the Alcohol Beverages Control Commission are set to expire prior to the end of the public health emergency, this includes patios, outdoor expansions and takeaway/delivery of alcohol.

COVID-19 impacted businesses, especially in the hospitality space, and with these extensions about to expire it’s another time of unrest for many of those same businesses. However, according to Mayor LaChapelle, the City of Easthampton is going to now follow protocol.

“It’s not an emergency, we’re not where we were two years ago. We’re not seeing spikes and there are treatments and you know keeping it in check, just like we do other major diseases whether it be the flu or measles,” said LaChapelle.

Mayor LaChapelle also told 22News that she’s going to continue to try to fight to help out these businesses as much as she can.

Massachusetts did set the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency end date for May 11th to align with the the end of the federal public health emergency.