COVID-19: November 2, 2020 Update from Representative Dykema

November 2nd COVID-19 Update

As case numbers continue to climb both here in Massachusetts and across the country, the administration today announced new measures and updated guidance designed to keep community spread of COVID-19 low.

Stay at home at night: The new statewide stay-at-home advisory requires all individuals not participating in essential travel or activities to remain home between 10pm and 5am and for all gatherings and most businesses (including restaurants) to close or end by 9:30 p.m. The updated advisory can be found here and the order, which includes a list of affected businesses, can be found here.

Gathering sizes: Indoor gatherings at private residences will be adjusted to 10 people for indoor gatherings and 25 people for outdoor gatherings. Guidance for event venues and other public spaces remains unchanged. Organizers of any gathering that learns of positive COVID-19 cases must report to local health departments and assist with contact tracing. You can read the revised order here.

Mask use: Updated guidance regarding use of masks and cloth face coverings in public indoor and outdoor spaces, regardless of whether 6 feet of distance between individuals can be maintained, for all individuals over the age of 5. You can read the revised order here or learn more at mass.gov/maskupma.

These updates to existing public health guidance go into effect Friday, November 6th. You can learn more about the changes to statewide guidance here.

News Updates

Coronavirus Testing and Response

  • Today, the state saw 725 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 156,385 total cases and 9 reported deaths as of today at 4pm.
  • The average new cases over the last 7 days is 1,150, and the average number of deaths is 20.
  • The 7-day weighted average positive test rate in Massachusetts is 1.8%.
  • 51,419 new molecular tests for COVID-19 were reported in the Commonwealth today.
  • 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.

Heath Care

  • Hospitalization: 469 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide.*
  • Hospital Capacity: As of 11/2, 35% of the Commonwealth’s 11,000 non-ICU hospital beds are available for new patients if needed (50% of statewide ICU beds are available). In the MetroWest region, 33% of the region’s non-ICU 1,800 beds are available for new patients (50% of regional ICU beds are available).
  • Long-term care: As of 11/2, there are 391 long-term care facilities with at least one case of COVID-19 and 25,717 staff and residents in facilities who have tested positive for COVID-19. 6,432 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in long-term care facilities.
  • For information on COVID-19 testing and guidance on whether you should get tested, how to get tested, and where to get tested, visit the COVID-19 testing portal at mass.gov/gettested.

*NOTE: You may notice today that the DPH data dashboard has been updated and adjusted to reflect new reporting methodology and categories. In particular, the way in which the state receives and reports data regarding COVID-19 hospitalizations has changed, which resulted in a significant perceived “drop” in the number of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19. We have reached out to the Department for a detailed explanation of new reporting definitions and will provide that information as soon as it is available.

Local and State Resources

Town Resources

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

Holliston | Hopkinton | Southborough | Westborough

Job/Income Loss Resources

COVID-19 is also 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

Department of Transitional Assistance

Statewide Information

Information on the state of emergency and related orders can be found here.

Reopening guidance can be found at mass.gov/reopening

Information on COVID-19 testing can be found at mass.gov/gettested.

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