< Back to Blog


May 4, 2020 COVID-19 Update

May 4, 2020

May 4, 2020 COVID-19 Update

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 are a total of 69,087 cases of COVID-19, and a total of 342,268 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, as we enter National Nurses Week, thousands of skilled nurses are working on the frontlines of this pandemic. As a Registered Nurse myself, watch my message of gratitude on Facebook here.
  • Today, the House of Representatives passed emergency rules to allow remote voting in formal sessions. This is a historic order that strikes a careful balance of public health, security, and equitable access so that members of the House can meaningfully participate and perform their duty of representing their constituents.
  • Last week, Governor Baker established the Reopening Advisory Board. This group is charged with advising the administration on strategies to reopen the economy in phases based on health and safety metrics. If you are interested in submitting comments to the board, click here to access the form.
  • This week, it was announced Massachusetts has joint a regional consortium of 7 states that will work together to find and purchase personal protective equipment, COVID-19 tests, ventilators, and other needed medical equipment.

Local Updates

  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month. McLean Hospital is offering a COVID-19 Webinar on Frazzled Families and Overcoming Parental Burnout during COVID-19, on Tuesday, May 5 at 12:00 PM. This webinar will provide strategies to exhaustion and ways to preserve mental health for both parents and children alike during this health crisis. To sign up, click here.
  • In Needham, the Superintendent has issued an update on the Needham Public Schools remote learning plan. The Governor previously announced that schools will continue to be remote for the remainder of the school year. To read this plan, visit the Needham Public Schools website here.
  • In Needham, the Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN) will begin to offer new open-speaker style meeting for parents who have a child navigating addiction. These meetings will be weekly and begin today, Monday, May 4 from 7:00-8:30 PM via Zoom. To learn more, click here.
  • In Dover, as a response to the Governor’s advisory requiring everyone to wear masks, the Council on Aging is distributing masks to those in need and can be reached at 508-315-5734. The Town continues to encourage everyone to wear face masks to reduce transmission.
  • In Medfield, today is Town Election Day! This election has been originally scheduled for March 30 and was moved for May 4 to provide the town with more items to prepare based on the status of COVID-19. If you plan to vote in person today, please follow local, state, and CDC guidelines: maintain 6 feet of separation from other people, cover your nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face cover, and wash your hands with soap and water or with hand sanitizer.

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 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.
  • 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