Town Of Bedford Publishes Coronavirus Update For August 17

Press release from the Town of Bedford:

August 17, 2020

The Bedford COVID-19 Task Force met Monday, August 17, 2020 to review the latest guidance from the Department of Public Health, 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

Philip Conrad, Superintendent of Schools

Heidi Porter, Director of Health and Human Services

Robert Bongiorno, Police Chief

David Grunes, Fire Chief

Taissir Alani, Facilities Director

Christopher Laskey, Code Enforcement Director

Case Counts

As of today, August 17, 2020, there have been a total of two hundred seventy-eight (278) positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Bedford Board of Health (BOH) by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH), of those, one hundred sixty-three (163) are Bedford residents not living in a healthcare/long term care setting. The deaths of forty-five (45) Bedford residents have been 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 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.

Two hundred twenty-nine (229) of the total Bedford cases have already recovered and have come off isolation and there may other Bedford residents who would be considered persons under investigation 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 BOH 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 BOH.

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

Diapers and Personal Items Available for Residents and Families in Need

Bedford Youth and Family Services has launched a Diaper and Personal Items Bank to help Bedford families who are in need. Families will be able to receive a 3 week supply of diapers (sizes 1-6), pull-ups (sizes 2-6), baby wipes, and/or feminine hygiene products. These essential supplies are not covered by the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and can be a significant financial burden, especially given the other economic stressors present during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents of Bedford who need to access the Diaper and Personal Items Bank can acquire these items at the weekly drive-through Food Bank located at the Town Center Building on Thursdays from 4 - 5:30 pm. Additionally, residents can contact Community Social Worker Christopher Bang at 781-918-4328 or [email protected].

Mask Up MA!

Governor Baker issued an Order that went into effect on May 6th requiring face masks or cloth face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible. This applies to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Exceptions include children under the age of 2 and those unable to wear a mask or face covering due to a medical condition.

So, when you go out, make sure you wear a mask or face covering. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. They protect you. They protect everyone around you. And they help Massachusetts move in the right direction.

When you wear a cloth mask, it should:

• Cover your nose and mouth,
• Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face,
• Be secured with ties or ear loops,
• Include multiple layers of fabric,
• Allow for breathing without restriction, and
• Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape.

When putting on and taking off a mask, do not touch the front of it, you should only handle the ties or ear straps, and make sure you wash the cloth mask regularly. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching the mask.

Cloth masks should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

So, Mask Up, Massachusetts! For more information, navigate to: https://www.mass.gov/news/mask-up-ma.

Need a COVID-19 test? – Free Testing expanded to September 12th

Free COVID-19 testing sites are open in seventeen communities as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s “Stop the Spread” initiative. Testing sites in the following communities are free to all residents of the Commonwealth regardless of symptom state and will now remain open until September 12th to help stop the spread of COVID-19: Agawam, Brockton, Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Framingham, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough, Methuen, New Bedford, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, Taunton, and Worcester. Visit www.mass.gov/stopthespread to find out more.

If you need testing closer to home or beyond September 12th, consider navigating to https://memamaps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=eba3f0395451430b9f631cb095febf13 to find a testing site. Check with your insurance company for covered services prior to booking an appointment for testing.

Common Sense Actions to Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19

Employ Social Distancing Basics:

• Stay Home, especially if you’re feeling sick, have a fever, or a cough as to avoid contact with other individuals. If you are sick, stay at home and contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
• Call/Facetime/Online chat with friends and loved ones

If you go out for essential needs:

• Avoid Crowds
• Stay 6 feet away from others
• Don’t shake hands or hug
• Wear a face covering or mask if physical distancing is not possible. Always have a face covering with you. You cannot always predict or control when someone will be close to you.

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