Mayor Holaday's COVID-19 Update 4/16/2020
Mayor Donna D. Holaday
April 16, 2020 COVID-19 UPDATE
Good afternoon everyone and thank you for tuning in once again for the latest COVID-19 update. As of yesterday, 33 people in Newburyport have tested positive. There are likely more that are infected – both those asymptomatic but still contagious, and those who have gotten sick but haven’t been able to get tested. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has released town-by-town data on the new coronavirus yesterday for the first time since the pandemic started earlier this year. The data will be updated weekly and include confirmed coronavirus cases for all 351 Massachusetts municipalities and we will continue to update our cases daily.
Health officials have been bracing for a surge of coronavirus cases. Yesterday, Governor Charlie Baker said the state is now experiencing the surge. The latest model shows that the state will be at the peak of the surge by the end of April. We are just in the beginning stages and it is more important than ever to be staying at home, social distancing and washing hands.
This past week I worked with our Health Director and the Newburyport Board of Health to order the following:
1. Gatherings in all public areas including but not limited to parks, public buildings and walkways are hereby restricted. Gatherings include physical and interactive sports that may spread the Covid-19 virus from sweat, droplets and physical contact from an individual. Individual passive recreational activities, such as walking, jogging and biking are exempt from this provision. All individuals must practice social distancing of 6 feet and not gather in one setting.
2. All members of the public entering any essential business as defined by Governor Baker’s Covid-19 Executive Orders, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and convenient stores, must wear a facial covering, such as a fabric mask, scarf or bandana, over his or her nose and mouth.
3. All employees of all essential businesses open to the public shall wear a facial covering over their mouth and nose during all hours of operation. Delivery personnel shall also wear facial covering over their nose and mouth when delivering food/goods to customers if there is a person to person exchange.
4. There is a Moratorium on Eviction Enforcement: No landlord and/or owner shall enforce an eviction upon a resident of Newburyport, residential or commercial, during this public health crisis.
And lastly,
5. Social distancing of 6 feet or more should be practiced at all times.
Everyone should comply with the Governors stay at home advisory to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As the weather improves, we must remind ourselves before we step out our front doors that each action we take matters, and that our decisions can either save lives or cost lives. It’s up to us. So please, everyone, we should only go out when we truly need to for food or medicine, to work an essential job, or for a bit of exercise close to home. And when we are out, we all need to wear a face covering. Please think before acting – everyone has to behave as if they have the virus. It’s not going to last forever, but it is the way it is now.
Our City Council has also codified many of the guidelines previously issued. Playgrounds remained closed. Parks are open for passive recreation only, such as walking, hiking, biking or jogging. Residents must maintain at least a 6-foot distance from others and must not gather. I have noted most residents have adjusted their fresh air routines and are demonstrating social distancing. I know how much more difficult this will be as the weather improves and people will want to be outside. I cannot emphasize enough how critical this is at this moment. We don’t want to enforce the new ordinance by fining residents, but we will do so for the sake of public health.
As I have repeatedly stated – if you or a family member is sick or not feeling well and may be exhibiting the main symptoms of COVID-19 - fever, coughing and shortness of breath, please call your health care provider for direction. Do NOT go to AJH or Urgent Care or your PCP without first calling; you do not want to potentially infect an office or waste PPEs, the critical protective equipment for our health workers. And, thank you again to all of our volunteers who have worked to raise funds and provide supplies for Anna Jaques Hospital.
Your local government continues to function under a State of Emergency. All City offices remain closed to the public; however, we are committed to providing the best customer service possible during this difficult time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance. Our first responders continue to protect our residents and respond to all situations. Thank you to all my staff.
I have talked about changes and delays in our waste programs due to the length of time this virus lives. Please continue to abide by the rules and refer to our trash and recycling department website for more information and updates. Our recycling and yard waste facilities will not open until after the surge, and with guidance from the state. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
We are all doing are part to keep our households clean and sterilized, but please do not flush disinfectant wipes down the toilet. Flushing wipes, paper towels and similar products down toilets will clog sewers, cause backups in your home a well as your neighbors’, and lead to sanitary sewer overflows, creating an additional public health risk in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Please throw your disinfectant wipes in the trash.
Our Finance Team has worked to adopt programs to assist in payment programs for property taxes and other bills. In response to challenges faced by many residents and business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the City of Newburyport is extending the due dates on fourth quarter real estate and personal property tax bills from May 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020. Water and Sewer Bills with due dates of April 14, 2020 and May 15, 2020 are also extended to June 1, 2020. In addition, the deadline for submitting applications for exemptions or deferrals has been extended from April 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020. Bills can be paid online at cityofnewburyport.com/payments, by using the return envelope provided with the bill, or by depositing payments into the secure drop box next to the front door of Newburyport City Hall at 60 Pleasant Street.
I am also utilizing our Code Red system to send out notifications to residents through your personal phones. You can sign up to retrieve these notices by clicking the CODE RED icon on the City website. We continue to post daily local updates and links to information on our urgent alert page, CityofNewburyport.com/covid-19update. You can sign up to receive email alerts whenever the page is updated. We are also actively using twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to disseminate information. Links to all are found on the City homepage.
We have also launched and continue to update Newburyport Connected to help provide information on support and services available to residents and businesses. We now have a social worker assigned to help residents get connected to social service providers. There will be many in our community who will need help over the coming weeks and months, many who have never asked for help before. Please visit the Newburyport Connected site and fill out the form if you do need help and we will help you find resources. There’s also links for those who’d like to help or donate. While we all need to keep our distance, we must stay connected.
We continue to monitor the crisis on a daily basis with guidance from the state. We have an active line of communication with the Executive Office and are in constant contact with the Governor, Lt. Governor, and state agencies. As we take direction and coordinate with the state, we will make the best decisions possible, always keeping in mind our priority: the health, safety, and well-being of the citizens of Newburyport.
The critical point in this pandemic is here; the surge is happening. Each and every one of us must join together. I urge you in this moment of our state and national emergency to stay at home. I am confident the people of Newburyport can rise to this challenge and we can keep the spread of this virus down.
Thank you, be safe and be well.