Framingham Mayor Renews Call To Wear Masks, Social Distance

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer has released a new public service announcement reminding residents about how to guard against coronavirus, her second public appeal around the pandemic this week.

In a video released Wednesday, Spicer reminds residents to wear masks at all times, wash and sanitize hands and to maintain social distance.

"The only way we can combat this virus is if we all work together," she says in the video.

On Tuesday, Spicer released an op-ed about the city's response to the pandemic, including a new timeline showing everything the city has done since March.

Spicer has been criticized by some City Council members for not having a written plan for dealing with coronavirus. However, Mike Hugo, a Framingham resident and associate member of Massachusetts Boards of Health executive committee, has said that no city in the state has an explicit written plan, deferring to state and federal guidance instead.

The city has instituted a policy of handing out $500 fines for violating rules around social gatherings.

Framingham has been on the list of high-risk communities for virus transmission since August. The city added 31 new cases on Wednesday, and reported one new coronavirus death for a total of 146 since the spring.