Gov. Charlie Baker announced Friday that restaurants could begin offering indoor dining on Monday as coronavirus cases statewide continue to wane and the governor’s slow reopening plan picks up speed.

Phase two of the state’s reopening plan began on June 8, allowing retail and lodging services to reopen and restaurants, relegated to take-only service since mid-March, to provide outdoor dining with strict social distancing protocols.

A few Vineyard restaurants with outdoor space, including Nomans and Nancy’s in Oak Bluffs and the Seafood Shanty in Edgartown, have been able to open patios with limited capacity. But most restaurants have stayed as takeout only, as the governor had previously stated that indoor dining would likely be allowed sometime between phase two and phase three of the reopening plan, which is not slated to begin until June 29.

With key public health metrics relating to the virus on the decline, the governor said at a press briefing Friday that it was finally safe enough to open restaurants for indoor service Monday, June 22.

Like the outdoor dining regulations, tables have to be kept six feet apart and parties will be limited to six or fewer, Lieut. Gov. Karyn Polito explained. Governor Baker said the feedback the state received from restaurants signaled that they preferred table regulations rather than a percentage capacity limit.

“We went with the six feet apiece as opposed to a capacity limit,” he said. “Configuration varies a lot from one building to the next . . . it just seemed like the easiest thing to do would be to pick a distancing standard that we were comfortable with.”

Offices will also be allowed to increase their capacity from 25 to 50 per cent of staff, but Governor Baker encouraged employers to allow employees to continue working from home if possible.

Statewide, the governor said only a select few hospitals were still using surge capacity, down approximately 80 per cent at the virus’s peak. Phase three, which would allow movie theaters and gymnasiums to reopen, could begin as soon as a week from now.

“This progress is encouraging and proves that we are moving in the right direction as we continue our gradual reopening,” he said.