Mayor Holaday Code Red Message April 6, 2020

Mayor Holaday Provides Update of Anticipated COVID-19 Surge Through Code Red

With the anticipated surge of Cornavirus cases by health officials, the Mayor sent out a citywide recorded message to all residents urging all to adhere to prevention guidelines, including staying at home and social distancing.  

To receive this message and future important messages, residents should click the CodeRed link on the homepage to sign up.  

Full text of message:

Hello. This is Mayor Donna Holaday with a very important message.

The next few weeks will be a critical time for our community and our nation as a whole as we prepare for an anticipated surge in the number of Coronavirus cases. We must all do our part to help limit the spread of this virus to reduce the risk of our first responders and health care workers as well as save lives.

I ask every Newburyport resident to please comply with all the COVID-19 Federal and State guidelines.

Please stay inside, and only leave your home for essential errands such as buying groceries and picking up medications, or for exercise and fresh air.

If you must leave your home, I’m asking for strict compliance of social distancing, most importantly maintaining a six foot distance from all others.

The CDC recommends we all wear masks in public. If you can make or secure a mask, please do so now.

As a reminder, playgrounds and athletic fields remain closed. Do not try to move barriers or caution tape to access them. I would like to keep our Rail Trail and other parks and open space open, but I will be forced to close them to the public if residents do not strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Finally, wash your hands frequently. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available, and keep all surfaces clean and sanitized. It is critical that we all adhere to these guidelines, especially during these next few weeks.

The City website has information on Coronavirus locally as well as resources for residents and businesses, cityofnewburyport.com/covid-19update.

Every decision each of us makes will have an impact. Keeping our health care workers, first responders, and all residents safe is our most important job. This crisis demands of each and every one of us, individually and together, as we move forward to keep our people healthy and safe. We are not powerless, and we are not alone.

We will get through this together but only if we stay away from each other right now.