March 27: Town Of Bedford Update On Coronavirus

Press release from the Town of Bedford:

March 27, 2020

The Bedford COVID-19 Task Force met Friday, March 27, 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

Active Cases

As of today, March 27, 2020, there have been a total of seven (7) positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Town of Bedford Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH). Four (4) of these cases have already recovered and have come off of isolation and quarantine, and there is one (1) Person Under Investigation. It is likely that 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. Many of the identified close contacts of the initial COVID-19 positive residents never exhibited symptoms, have completed their required quarantine period and have been released from quarantine by the Board of Health. The Town has also been informed of one (1) presumptive positive case at Hanscom Air Force Base. This individual has been in quarantine since returning from overseas, and has no close contacts that the Town of Bedford is required to follow up on.

Anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms should immediately self-quarantine, isolate from household members and contact their healthcare provider for further guidance on whether testing is warranted.

School Update

A huge thanks to a dozen or so school personnel for a full day of decoupling, sanitizing, recording and bagging over 500 Chromebooks to prepare for Monday’s distribution. Details on the Monday, March 30, 2020 device pickup will be sent this weekend.

Town Update

As a reminder, Social Work services remain available for all Town of Bedford residents. The Social Workers can assist with:

• Ensuring individuals have food security during this time. Residents who are struggling with having an adequate amount of food in their homes can reach out to the Social Workers for assistance getting connected to the Bedford Food Bank, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP/EBT), and other community resources. The Social Workers will work with residents faced with a hardship and unable to travel outside their homes.
• Information accessing financial supports such as SNAP, unemployment, MassHealth, and utility assistance.
• General support for coping with anxiety during this time. Residents are able to call and speak with a Social Worker who can provide strategies for managing anxiety.
• Outreach calls for residents who are experiencing isolation. Residents who are concerned about individuals who are experiencing isolation can contact the Social Workers.
• Getting residents connected with Health and Mental Health providers. At this time counseling services at the Town Center through Eliot Community Human Services are temporarily shifting to a tele-health service and referrals are still being accepted.

If you are a resident who is 60 or older please contact Danika Castle in the Council on Aging at 781-275-6825. If you are a resident under the age of 60 please contact Christopher Bang in the Youth and Family Services Department at 781-918-4328.

Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is continuing to follow up on domestic violence referrals and requests for service on a daily basis and provides community advocacy and safety planning for anyone who calls in or is referred for help and support by law enforcement partners. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DVSN clients need support more than ever and DVSN shall continue to provide CONFIDENTIAL support, advocacy, and resources via telephone to the extent possible. For help and support, PLEASE CALL DVSN’s Help Line - 888-399-6111. As always, if you are in immediate danger, CALL 9-1-1 for police intervention.

Bedford Neighbor Brigade is a volunteer network of over 200 volunteers standing by to offer care and comfort to individuals and families in temporary crisis in our community. At this time they are available to deliver meals, offer dog walks and run errands. For more information, please contact Bedford Chapter Leader Amy Mason at BedfordMA@neighborbrigade.org or 781-526-5269. The Bedford Neighbor Brigade reports that volunteers who will be helping with this effort will have a valid background check, have completed a Food Handler Training and COVID-19 training. Although the Bedford Neighbor Brigade typically also offers rides to appointments, they have suspended this service during the current coronavirus outbreak.

The intent of Governor Baker’s Stay-At-Home Advisory is to urge residents to stay home as much as possible and limit unnecessary time spent out in public. However, if you find it necessary to visit the grocery store, pharmacy or other establishments providing essential services, the Board of Health generated Safe Shopping Tips amid the COVID-19 outbreak to help Bedford residents limit the spread within our community.

General Guidance

Town officials continue to urge residents to deploy social distancing, and limit social gathering. Go for a socially distanced walk, order take-out, get your coffee to-go, pick up a gift certificate, and support the local business communities from a distance.

Public health officials strongly discourage activities that promote gathering of people, including play dates, sleepovers, parties, social visits, and other activities where closer contact is the norm.

The Town has stated and continues to advise that those — including municipal employees, residents, or students — who are feeling sick with fever or flu symptoms should stay home, self-quarantine, not report to work or school, and contact their medical provider to determine if they should be tested for COVID-19.

For previous updates on COVID-19, please review the COVID-19 News and Announcements Page at on the Town website (www.bedfordma.gov).

It is important to remember that while the COVID-19 outbreak is evolving quickly, influenza is currently circulating in the area. Many of the things you do to help prevent colds and the flu can help protect you against other respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
• Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
• Employ social distancing if you are not otherwise required to be in quarantine and must go out.
• For those at home, a little moderate exercise or meditation goes a long way. Get up, stretch, and maybe have a short walk.

The best source of guidance and recommendations is the DPH website: www.mass.gov/covid19

Alternatively, if you are without internet capabilities, please call the State hotline: 2-1-1

You can also the Town of Bedford website for local updates and actions: www.bedfordma.gov

Town and School officials, and the Bedford Health Department, remain in continuous communication about this issue, and further updates will be provided to the community as we receive them.

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