WESTFIELD/SOUTHWICK –  Massachusetts has been in Phase 4 Step 1 of Gov. Charlie D. Baker’s reopening plan since March 22, and local health officials weighed in on what they thought of the timing of Phase 4 then and how they felt one month later.

Southwick Board of Health Chair Dr. Jerry Azia said on April 15 that he feels that it matters little when a given reopening phase begins. He said he thinks people in general are going to act a certain way regarding COVID-19 safety, and guidelines will be ignored to an extent regardless of how strict they are.

“I think no matter when you start the stages, people will do what people will do,” said Azia, “Unless you put a cop on every corner or in every restaurant, people will do what they are going to do.”

Health Director Tammy Spencer said that little has changed for Southwick since March 22. Step 1 of Phase 4 mostly concerned large entertainment and sports venues as well as indoor wedding and event venues.

In the weekly COVID-19 report on March 18, Southwick had a pandemic total of 506 COVID-19 cases. In the most recent report on April 15, Southwick’s total had risen to 563, an increase of 57 cases. Southwick has been in and out of its high risk designation since March 18.

Spencer said that there are no clusters to speak of, but that the virus currently appears to be spreading through individual households.

Westfield Health Director Joseph Rouse said that he was surprised at the time when Gov. Baker announced the impending transition to Phase 4. He thought that it was premature, given that the rate of COVID-19 seemed to be increasing at the time.

“It didn’t make sense yet, but in the big picture, I understood,” said Rouse.

He said that now people need to get over the perception that we are still in the same status in regard to the pandemic. In general, the COVID-19 infection rate has dropped since the relatively small spike in cases that peaked on March 29. Rouse said that the availability of vaccines is encouraging, even with the pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“Now we are at a different point. If we are in Phase 4, and we don’t move ahead, what is the point?” said Rouse.

He said that once schools were allowed to reopen, it felt like it made sense to reopen or increase limits for some other businesses. Since Rouse made his comments, COVID-19 vaccine eligibility was extended to all persons over the age of 16.