As the COVID-19 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 are a total of 107,611 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 790,223 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.
- Today, the House of Representatives approved a $1.1B supplemental budget to fund the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. This legislation is necessary for the state to receive federal reimbursements for critical resources like personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and funding for human service providers, field hospitals and shelters, contact tracing efforts, child care providers, food security programs, and emergency housing. It also includes a dedicated $20M to address statewide efforts on racial disparities in health care access, since communities of color have been hardest hit by the virus.
Local Updates
- In Dover, the Boil Water Advisory is still in place and bottled water continues to be available daily until 6:00 PM at the Town Garage parking lot. The Board of Selectmen will be meeting Thursday, June 15 at 6:30 PM via Zoom and they will be joined by the state Department of Environmental Protection to discuss this pressing issue. I continue to work with the Town Administrator, Board of Selectmen, Board of Health, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Public Health, to support the Town during this water crisis. To attend the Board of Selectmen meeting, click here.
- In Needham, the Affordable Housing Trust has extended the application deadline for the Small Grant Repair Program to July 30th. Grants of up to $4,000 are available to help eligible residents in need of financial assistance for modest repairs and alternations to their homes for health and safety reasons. For more information, click here.
- In Medfield, the Annual Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 11:00 AM at the Calvin Fisher Field at Medfield High School. For information on logistics, social distancing, and budgetary warrant articles, click here.
- In Medfield, the water restriction has been elevated to Tier 3 by the Board of Selectmen. Tier 3 limits nonessential water use to 1 day per week. For more information, click here.
- In Dover, the Annual Town Meeting will be held on June 29 at 11:00 Am at the Dover Sherborn Regional football field. For more information regarding town meeting, click here.
Reopening Updates – Phase 2: Cautious
- On Monday, June 22, the second part of Phase 2 of Massachusetts Reopening began. This part includes indoor dining, increased capacity for office spaces, hair removal, nail care, skin care, massage therapy, make up salons, tanning salons, tattoo, piercing, and body art services, and personal training with restrictions. These businesses will be operating under careful guidelines, which can be accessed by clicking here.
- If you have questions, input, or comments regarding the Reopening Massachusetts plan, you can submit comments online. These comments can be used by the Administration to support efforts to methodically reopen the economy admits the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the form.
Resources
- 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.
- 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 8 AM-7 PM & Saturday from 10 AM-2 PM.)
- 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.
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