As the COVID-19 Response Command Center and other agencies and organizations provide updates on COVID-19, I wanted to share with you the new information being reported:
Statewide Updates
- In Massachusetts, there is a total of 62,205 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 275,647 tests have been performed. You can access a summary of case details and lab testing and cases by hospital facility and additional COVID-19 response reporting on the dashboard here.
- The Massachusetts Contact Tracing Program is underway right now. This is a key element to stopping the spread of COVID-19. There are about 1,000 contact tracers and 80 local boards of health supporting the initiative. If you receive a call that says MA COVID TEAM, this is a contact tracer working to collect this important data.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration is hiring temporary employees to assist with disaster relief efforts. Many positions are virtual and bilingual language skills are a plus. Jobs include call center customer service representative, document preparation/legal review/loan closing, and loan processing/credit analysis/mortgage underwriting. For more information, click here.
Local Updates
- In Needham, the Needham School Committee Chair, Andrea Longo Carter, wishes to share a video message with Needham Public School families. A transcript of the message is also available with translations in Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. To watch the video message click here and to read the transcript, click here.
- In Needham, the town has created a guide for the Face Mask/Covering emergency order. If you have any questions and would like more information regarding face coverings, click here.
- In Medfield, the annual town election will be held on May 4, 2020. In-person voting is available for the town election and all voters should follow social distancing guidelines, but mail-in ballots are an option if you prefer not to go to the polls. If you would like to vote by mail, fill out the mail-in ballot application and send the form to the Medfield Town Clerk.
- In Dover, the Board of Selectmen held a virtual meeting tonight. At this meeting, David Sullivan was introduced as the project manager for the Town with a focus in municipal modernization.
Resources
- If you or someone you know is at risk for sexual and domestic violence, service providers are still accessible. You can find local services by clicking here. You can also call SafeLink, the statewide domestic violence hotline, at 1-877-785-2020. SafeLink can provide resources and support services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- To file an unemployment claim, visit here. If you have trouble filing a claim, please contact my office for assistance.
- If you do not qualify for traditional unemployment benefits but have lost your job due to COVID-19, you may qualify for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance under the federal CARES Act. To learn more, click here.
- To apply for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)benefits call Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline at 1-800-645-8333 (M-F from 8am-7pm & Saturday from 10am-2pm.)
- The WIC (Women, Infants, & Children Nutrition) program provides families with healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services for families. To check your eligibility and apply for WIC, click here.
- Anyone feeling overwhelmed with sadness, anxiety or stress, or who wants to harm themselves or others, can access the mental health, emotional support, and suicide prevention program Call2Talk by dialing 2-1-1. Call2Talk is also available by calling 508-532-2255 or by texting C2T to 741741.
- Text COVIDMA to 888-777 to receive daily text updates from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Please remember social distancing is the most effective tool to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to these updates, my office is still accessible so please continue to reach out and we will get back to you.
Email: Denise.Garlick@mahouse.gov
Phone: 617-722-2380
Our local boards of health, the Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control are continuing to maintain websites with the most updated information regarding COVID-19 that you can access here:
Needham Health Department Updates: http://www.needhamma.gov/85/Public-Health
Medfield Updates: http://www.town.medfield.net/1860/Coronavirus-Info-COVID-19
Dover Updates: http://doverma.org/
Department of Public Health: https://www.mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19, call 2-1-1, or text COVIDMA to 888-777.
Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html