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 93,693 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 545,481 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 passed legislation to provide municipal governments greater flexibility by granting the ability to host town meeting remotely and allowing for a reduction in quorum requirement. The legislation also makes a concerted effort to address the challenges facing school districts throughout the Commonwealth in dealing with existing vendor contracts and allows new teachers to receive emergency educator licenses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Today, Governor Baker announced that the Boston Hope Medical Center, the COVID-19 field hospital in Boston, will be suspending the admission of new patients. All patients currently receiving care will continue to be cared for until they are safely discharged.
Local Updates
- In Needham, the Department of Park and Recreation began to open parks, fields, and open spaces on Monday, May 25. Park and Recreation opened the tennis courts and Memorial Field on Monday and additional spaces in Town will open on a rolling basis. For more information on their plan, click here.
- In Medfield, the Board of Selectmen will be meeting today via Zoom at 7:00 PM. The board will discuss the Annual Warrant Hearing, COVID-19 actions, and the FY2021 Budget. For more information, click here for the agenda.
- In Dover, all Town of Dover facilities, excluding the Transfer Station, will continue to be closed to the public. Town services will continue to be provided online and a departmental contact sheet can be found here. As plans are finalized for reopening town programming run by the Council on Aging, Library, and Park and Recreation Department information will be shared through their respective webpages.
Reopening Updates – Phase 1: Start
- This week the second step of Phase 1 began. In addition to construction, manufacturing, and places of worship, now lab space, office space, limited personal services, and retail can begin to reopen.
- The personal services that will be permitted to reopen are hair salons and barbershops, car washes, and pet grooming services.
- To learn more about the reopening process and to read the guidance, click here.
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.
- 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