June 5 Coronavirus Update

We are at a uniquely challenging time in our nation’s history. While we experience it, it’s sometimes difficult to see the significance of these times and how they will be perceived by future generations. While the stressors are ever-present and unmistakable, I remind myself to take in the details, emotions, and significance of this time, which will be embedded in the annals of history and analyzed for years to come. 

That said, what we are living through, especially for children, is a lot to process. I hope we can all find some comfort and room to breathe this weekend while spending time outdoors or with family. Check in with loved ones, turn off the tv and internet for a while, and renew your energy through connection with others and the outdoors during this beautiful spring. 

Once again I am sharing the state’s resource page for emotional health and well-being during the pandemic. The Attorney General’s FrontlineMA website also has a comprehensive list of self-care resources, some of which are targeted at first responders but many of which are useful to all of us. I hope you will take advantage of these resources, or whatever strategies that work best for you, to carve out a little time to practice self-care and mindfulness.

New Updates

Coronavirus Testing and Response

• Today, the state saw 494 new reported positive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 102,557 total cases and 35 reported deaths as of today at 4pm. 
• The average new cases over the last 7 days is 504, and the average number of deaths is 54.
• The 7-day weighted average positive test rate in Massachusetts is 5.1%.
• 1,533 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, a decrease of 104 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.

Reopening Update

• Tomorrow, the Governor and the Reopening Advisory Board will be announcing the timeline for transition to phase 2. I will continue to provide information on timing and preparation as it becomes available, and I encourage you to visit mass.gov/reopening for more details including sector-specific guidance and a table of when all industries can reopen.
• As a reminder, summer day camps, child care, and other youth-serving programs will be reopening in Phase 2. Detailed safety guidance for these programs is available through the Department of Early Education and Care.
• Under Phase 2, golf facilities will be able to expand their operations and activities with additional safety standards in place. A preview of detailed safety guidance for golf facilities is now online.

Health Care

• Hospital Capacity: As of 6/5, 54% of the Commonwealth’s 17,500 permanent and temporary hospital beds are available for new patients if needed. In the MetroWest region, 52% of the region’s 2,900 beds are available for new patients.
• Long-term care: As of 6/5, there are 350 long-term care facilities with at least one case of COVID-19 and 21,949 staff and residents in facilities who have tested positive for COVID-19. 4,504 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in long-term care facilities.
• Detailed results of infection control audits and case numbers at nursing homes can be found in this week’s COVID-19 Command Center public health report. In addition, the report provides an update on PPE distribution: In the MetroWest region, over 2.3 million pieces of PPE have been distributed through June 3, including 463,000 N95 masks and 136 ventilators.
• This week, Massachusetts received federal approval to use $374 million in federal funds to implement the first stage of the statewide testing expansion plan, which will increase the state’s lab testing capacity to 45,000 tests per day, ensure on-demand testing for all symptomatic individuals and close contacts, and reduce the positive test rate to 5%. More information on the plan can be found here.
• As a reminder, new guidance on safe visitation policies for friends and families of residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities was released this week and can be found here.

Workers and Small Business

• One of the industries that will be expanding operations in Phase 2 of reopening is retail businesses, which are currently allowed to conduct remote and curbside fulfillment but may begin limited in-store services in Phase 2. Full guidance for the retail industry’s transition is now available as a preview online.
• This week, Congress passed and the President signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which relaxes requirements for businesses that received PPP loans to comply with the requirements for loan forgiveness. A brief summary of the new law from the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce can be found here.

Education

• Today, the Commissioner of Education released guidance for summer school programming. Districts are given the flexibility to determine what services are appropriate to continue remotely versus in-person, with special consideration given to education for students with disabilities or those who have been significantly disrupted by school closures. The guidance can be downloaded here, and more detailed guidance on special education programming is expected next week.

Legislative Update

• This week, the House voted to pass legislation expanding on the Governor and Department of Public Health’s guidance allowing restaurants to reopen for outdoor table service in Phase 2, authorizing cities and towns to take steps necessary to modify permits and licenses needed to enable restaurants to make this transition smoothly and safely. It also places a cap on fees charged by delivery apps like Grubhub and DoorDash to ensure that the app delivery industry is protected from “bad actors” that may want to overcharge restaurants for services. The bill now travels to the Senate for consideration.
• The House also passed legislation expanding absentee, mail-in, and early voting to ensure that our statewide elections can be conducted in a safe manner this fall while protecting the safety of voters. Voters will be mailed applications for mail-in ballots for the statewide primary and general elections, and early voting periods for both elections will be extended. The bill now travels to the Senate for consideration.
• Finally, both chambers enacted legislation that authorizes cities and towns to reschedule and modify town meetings and elections as well as creating additional flexibility in municipal budgeting. The bill now travels to the Governor for his signature.

Additional Items

• The Supreme Judicial Court released this week’s count of COVID-19 cases and testing in the state’s correctional facilities and jails. You can read the full report including facility-by-facility counts online.
• Although not directly related to COVID-19, I encourage those with children to watch tomorrow morning’s Sesame Street/CNN town hall on standing up to racism. These past few months have been confusing and stressful for young children and their families for many reasons, and I encourage all families to use this education opportunity to have honest, age-appropriate conversations about the challenges our country faces.

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. The 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 drop-off 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.