Bedford Town Publishes Coronavirus Update For May 13

Press release from the Town of Bedford:

May 13, 2020

The Bedford COVID-19 Task Force met Wednesday, May 13, 2020 to review the latest guidance from the Department of Public Health (DPH), the office of Governor Charlie Baker, and Town Legal Counsel.

The COVID-19 Task Force is comprised of the following Town officials:

Sarah Stanton, Town Manager

Jon Sills, Superintendent of Schools

Heidi Porter, Director of Health and Human Services

Robert Bongiorno, Police Chief

David Grunes, Fire Chief

Taissir Alani, Facilities Director

Current Cases

As of today, May 13, 2020, there have been a total of one hundred and seventy-one (171) positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Town of Bedford Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) and thirty-one (31) deaths of Bedford residents attributed to COVID-19. The total case number includes residents of the Town of Bedford, including but not limited to those in: single-family homes, apartments, the VA campus, Hanscom Air Force Base, special needs group homes and any and all other larger assisted living/care facilities in Bedford as reported to us by the MA DPH.

As you may be aware, long-term care facilities serving the elderly and congregate care facilities, house susceptible populations with underlying conditions who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Increased testing occurs at these facilities and results in more positive cases being identified. As such, cities and towns with these facilities, like Bedford, experience elevated positive case counts and, unfortunately, deaths due to the vulnerability to COVID-19 of the populations within those facilities.

Thirty-nine (39) of the total Bedford cases have already recovered and have come off of isolation and there may other Bedford residents who would be considered persons under investigation (PUIs) in that they are symptomatic, have undergone testing but have not yet received results. There are other individuals impacted by COVID-19 in the community that have not sought medical attention, and/or have not been tested and are isolating at home regardless. Those individuals do not appear on the surveillance reports the Town receives from the MA DPH.

The Board of Health continues to do the appropriate follow-up and outreach to those residents and close contacts known to us and the VA is conducting follow-up and contact tracing of the Veteran’s under their care. Many of the identified close contacts of some of the Bedford cases never exhibited symptoms, have completed their required quarantine period and have been released from quarantine by the Board of Health.

Please note, in part to alleviate the community concern, the VA does do a daily report of their numbers, which includes inpatients, outpatients and staff, many of whom do not call Bedford home. The information can be found here: https://www.accesstocare.va.gov/Healthcare/COVID19NationalSummary

Town Meeting Update

Today, May 13, 2020, the Select Board voted to hold Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 1:00 PM on the Bedford High School Football Field (Sabourin Field) with a rain date of Sunday, June 28, 2020 and Monday, June 29, 2020. Town Meetings are exempt from Governor Baker’s large-group gatherings restriction, as it serves the legislative function of the town.

Meeting logistics will be released in the coming weeks to ensure the safest public health protocols, and details around the physical layout. In following the Governor’s orders, all residents will be required to wear face coverings.

Additionally, the Select Board voted to streamline the warrant to address only matters continuing the operations of town and school government. Presentation materials of warrant articles will be released in early June on the Town website, the Bedford Citizen, and Bedford Cable Access Television, with ample time for residents to become acquainted with the limited articles being proposed. Please stay tuned for more information to be released in the coming weeks.

Articles to be considered at Annual Town Meeting June 27, 2020:

Article 2- Debate Rules

Article 3- Consent Article

Article 4- Bills of Prior Years

Article 6- Revolving Funds Expenditures Limits

Article 7- Community Preservation (without capital projects)

Article 23- Proposed FY21 Capital Budget

Article 28- PEG Access and Cable Expense Funding

Article 29- Supplement Operating budget for FY20/FY19

Article 30- Salary Administration Plan

Article 31- Operating Budget FY21 (with town/school budget reductions)

Article 32- Ambulance Enterprise Budget FY21

Article 38- Free Cash

Articles postponed to Special Town Meeting November 2020:

Article 1- Reports of Town Officers and Committees

Article 5- General Bylaw Amendment- Revolving Funds

Article 7- Community Preservation-Capital Projects

Articles 8-22- General Bylaw Amendments/ Zoning Accessory Dwelling Units

Articles 24-26- Bond Authorizations for the Police Station Renovation, Fire Station Land Acquisition and the HVAC Replacement at the Library

Article 27- Demand Fee Increase

Article 33- Salary Plan-Additional Funding

Article 34- OPEB Appropriation

Article 35- Supplement Accrued Leave Fund

Article 36- 300th Anniversary Stabilization Fund

Article 37- Stabilization Fund Appropriation

School Update

Having recently received final guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding last day of school calculation, at last night's school committee meeting, the superintendent proposed and received approval for a revised 2019-2020 District Calendar to the school committee last night. The last day of school for students will be June 18, and the last day of school for faculty will be June 19.

Important Updates

Mask and Face Covering Order

All residents over the age of two are required to use a face covering or mask in public places where maintaining proper social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not possible. This order applies to all workers and customers of businesses and other organizations that are currently open to the public and permitted to operate as COVID-19 Essential Businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retail stores. Residents are also required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when using any means of transportation service or public mass transit.

This order also applies outdoors if you cannot keep a safe distance from others. In practice, this means that, even if you are seeking some fresh air or exercise by going outside for a walk, run or bike ride in a place where you don’t expect to see anyone else, you still need to wear a face covering. You can keep it around your neck if no one is around. But when you see someone else you should raise your face covering up over your nose and mouth while you are in the same vicinity. Navigate to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUJPizQVPI&feature=youtu.be to See New DPH PSA on How to Safely Cover Your Face Outside of Home.

Thanks to a generous donation and the sewing efforts of the Coalition Mask Network, every bag of food distributed from the Bedford Food Bank this week included a face covering. Both youth and adult size face coverings were provided.

Bedford Residents are asked to “Answer the Call!”

The Bedford Board of Health asks Bedford Residents to be part of the COVID-19 solution and “Answer the Call!” If you’ve tested positive for COVID- 19 or if you’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, the COVID Community Team, including the Bedford Community Health Nurse and the School Nurses, will be reaching out via phone to you and your close contacts to slow the spread. We’ll help support you and will help to keep track of symptoms to move you through isolation and quarantine appropriately.

The Caller ID on your phone will show the call is coming from one of the following phone numbers: (781) 999-2093, (781) 999-4209, (781) 999-4223, (781) 999-4236, (833) 638-1685 or (857) 305-2728.

Your name will not be publically released but the information you can provide to us is imperative in slowing the spread so we can get to the other side of this outbreak. Bedford Residents, Answer the Call!

Please do not use the above phone numbers for general inquiries on COVID-19. For information on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 response in Bedford, instead please call the Bedford Board of Health at 781-275-6507 or visit the BOH COVID-19 website.

Stay At Home Advisory is STILL in effect

Wearing a face covering does not make it OK to gather and/or socialize with others. This action is meant to protect others from your respiratory droplets when you must leave your home for necessary errands and activities. Remember people may have the virus and be asymptomatic and contagious all at the same time. Staying home and avoiding close contact with others is still the BEST and most protective option to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Seek help with any medical or health issues

If you experience any medical issues during this time, please call your doctor. If you have an emergency, please go to the ER. Medical offices and hospitals are abiding by strict protocols to keep patients safe. Please don’t let fear of this virus prevent you from seeking needed medical care and potentially exacerbating an issue that may cause you harm. You should call 9-1-1 for any serious medical or mental health emergency.

This press release was produced by the Town of Bedford. The views expressed here are the author’s own.