May 27 Coronavirus Update

One of the wonderful parts of spring in New England is watching the landscape come to life around us. All of a sudden, my yard is blooming and the woods have a green tinge from the budding leaves and fern. 

This year, spring is particularly welcome as there are therapeutic benefits associated with planting and gardening. Many of us find spending time in our yards and gardens a calming and relaxing experience. Getting your hands in the soil relieves stress, and I see the beautiful results when I drive and walk around the community.

If you’re new to gardenting, whether you’re interested in  planting flowers or shrubs, or starting a vegetable garden, there are a wealth of resources online. 

Many of our local nursery and horiculture businesses also have resources and plants available in safe settings. I’m always excited to see offerings that are bee-friendly and bee-healthy. There’s more information for gardeners of every age and interest at “Plant Something“, sponsored by the Mass Nursery and Landscape Association. The site also includes a list of local nurseries and services right here in the district.

UMass provides a variety of resources for gardeners as part of its Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, and even offers opportunities to ask its experts your home garden questions. In particular, I find the UMass fact sheets for vegetable gardening helpful, which can also help reduce trips to the grocery store. Many of these sites also offer guidance on native pollinator-friendly plants, which helps support our ecology and agriculture systems. 

And planting is always a great activity to keep children busy and engage them with the beauty of nature. 

New Updates

Coronavirus Testing and Response

• There are 94,220 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 527 new cases and 74 deaths as of today at 4pm. 
• The average new cases over the last 7 days is 750, and the average number of deaths is 69.
• 7.9% of the 6,663 tests reported today were positive, with a 7-day weighted average positive test rate of 8.5%.
• 2,106 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, a decrease of 2 from yesterday.
• The Department of Public Health regularly releases a daily reporting dashboard containing detailed information on hospitalizations, demographic data, and county-by-county breakdowns of cases. To view the DPH dashboard, visit here.

Health Care

• Hospital Capacity: As of  5/27, 54% of the Commonwealth’s 17,500 permanent and temporary hospital beds are available for new patients if needed. In the MetroWest region, 48% of the region’s 2,700 beds are available for new patients.
• Long-term care: As of 5/27, there are 348 long-term care facilities with at least one case of COVID-19 and 20,267 staff and residents in facilities who have tested positive for COVID-19. 4,041 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in long-term care facilities.

Economy and Workforce

• We are increasingly hearing reports of those taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to file fraudulent unemployment claims. The Department of Unemployment Assistance has set up a dedicated online reporting system for reporting fraud. If you have reason to suspect your identity or business is being used to commit unemployment fraud, please contact the department immediately.
• General COVID-19 unemployment benefit information, including forthcoming updates to claims following the new UI law (see below), can be found here.

Education

• Following yesterday’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting, the Board adopted the Commissioner of Education’s recommendations to modify the MCAS testing schedule. Most notably, the new schedule will allow 10th grade students, who would have taken MCAS this spring and did not, to take the corresponding tests in grade 11, to ensure that all students can graduate on time.

Transportation

• The MBTA continues to operate reduced service for subways, Commuter Rail, and buses and is making schedule adjustments designed to prevent crowding that could occur as summer construction on several lines begins. FAQ about rider safety and the MBTA can be found online here.
• The RMV is in the process of developing online learner’s permit exams for student drivers by mid-June. Currently, learner’s permit exams for Class D and M licenses (standard driver’s and motorcyclist’s license) are not available at RMV service centers. More information about licensing, extensions, and other impacts of COVID-19 can be found online.

Legislative Update

• Today, the Governor signed legislation providing critical relief to the unemployment insurance system. The bill includes an extension of the maximum allowable claims period from 26 weeks to 30 weeks for any week in which claims exceed 100,000, a provision exempting employers’ experience ratings from impacts of COVID-19 and the current state of emergency, and lifts a cap on benefits for those with dependents.
• Yesterday, the state Senate adopted rules for conducting formal sessions remotely to allow for full roll call votes. The House adopted remote session rules earlier this month and has held three full formal sessions remotely so far.

Additional Items

• The Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo will be reopening to the general public on June 4 with health and safety measures in place. More information on the measures being taken and full reopening schedule can be found at zoonewengland.org.

Local Resources

All of the towns in the 8th Middlesex District now have centralized COVID-19 resource pages with resources, updates, and alerts regarding town services.

Holliston | Hopkinton | Southborough | Westborough

The Department of Public Health also releases weekly reports on town-by-town COVID-19 case numbers and rates, which can be found online here.

Resources for Residents Experiencing Job Loss or Loss of Income

COVID-19 is causing broad disruption to the economy which is affecting incomes of many residents and families. There are a number of state resources and supports available to support workers who may find themselves unemployed or otherwise income-constrained during this uncertain time. 

Guide for job/income loss resources: https://carolyndykema.com/covid19-state-resources

Department of Unemployment Assistance: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
• CARES Act Unemployment Changes
• Unemployment Town Halls

Department of Transitional Assistance: https://www.mass.gov/dta-covid-19-resources-and-support

• Pandemic-EBT benefits for schoolchildren

How You Can Help

Holliston Youth and Family Services requests your support of the Community Action Fund, which provides emergency assistance to those affected by COVID-19. Learn more or donate here.

The Westborough Rotary Club has launched a COVID-19 Community Relief Fund to provide assistance to those affected by COVID-19. Learn more or donate here.

The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations, the need for which is significant due to blood drive cancellations. he need is dire due to the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives. People can donate at the Worcester American Red Cross Donor Center, 381 Plantation St. Worcester or call 1-800-RED CROSS. Some local donor sites, including the Natick Senior Center, are available for appointments as well.

Information on our local food pantries can be found below. The most pressing need right now is cash donations to ensure that food dropoff and delivery do not inadvertently contribute to the spread of the virus.

Holliston Pantry Shelf | Project Just Because | Southborough Food Pantry | Westborough Food Pantry

Current Statewide Advisories

Safer at Home: As of May 18, the statewide stay-at-home advisory is now the  Safer at Home advisory. In many ways, this advisory remains in the same spirit as previous policies: You should practice social distancing and limit your non-essential interactions as much as possible. 

Face Covering: As reopening continues, the statewide face covering advisory remains in effect for public indoor and outdoor spaces in situations where social distancing is not possible. The full advisory and detailed guidance can be found online.

Reopening Guidance: For more information on the state’s phased reopening plan and particular industry-specific guidance, visit mass.gov/reopening. For questions about business reopening timelines, visit this page.

A list of all executive orders in place during the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 state of emergency can be found here.