Framingham Fire To End Pandemic Convoy Parades

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham firefighters will soon bring to a close one of the more uplifting traditions to come out of the coronavirus pandemic. The department said Thursday that it would stop leading parade convoys by June 15.

Convoy parades became a national trend this spring as people were forced to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. Police, firefighters, paramedics, and regular people in their own cars joined the parades to drive by the homes of people celebrating birthdays, retirements, and more.

The end of the department's parades in Framingham come as Massachusetts reopens as the pandemic slows down. The department will honor any convoy requests made through June 15.

"As the state and the city move forward along the phased reopening, with businesses reopening and social restrictions easing, the department is already experiencing a return to normal levels of calls for emergency and essential services," the department wrote on Twitter.

Coronavirus is still a threat in Massachusetts, but there are signs that it's beginning to wane in Framingham. The city only reported four new cases on Wednesday. As recently as last week, officials were reporting between 20 and 50 new cases per day.

Statewide, the average rate of positive tests fell to 8.5 percent, and just 2,115 people were hospitalized with the virus — a low dating back to April 13.