Town Of Needham Publishes Coronavirus Update For October 8

Press release from the Town of Needham:

October 8, 2020

October 8, 2020 – The Town of Needham and Needham Public Health today provided the following update regarding COVID-19.

State DPH COVID-19 Numbers

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports the number of positive cases and deaths daily on the state's COVID-19 dashboard. Town-specific case numbers are published by the state every Wednesday.

• 411 Needham cases to date (10/7/2020) Needham remains in the YELLOW category with 5.1 cases per 100,000 residents. This is Needham’s second week as a YELLOW community. See the most recent COVID-19 community map. The state has issued a list of communities not designated as low-risk. Needham is not currently on that list.
• 77 Coronavirus deaths in Needham to date (10/1/20). No new deaths have been reported since 6/25.

Quarantining, Isolation and What You Need to Know

As the number of new COVID cases tick up in Needham and across Massachusetts, you or your family members may find yourselves advised to isolate or quarantine by health officials. So what’s the difference? Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department. Isolation keeps someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home. Learn more about what it means if you need to quarantine or isolate in this short video from the CDC.

Superintendent Gutekanst Shares How NPS Will Communicate About COVID-19 Cases in Schools

This week, Needham Public Schools Superintendent Dan Gutekanst shared with families that the schools had experienced their first positive student case of COVID-19 since school reopened for in-person learning. Dr. Gutekanst informed families about the case and outlined how the schools would be communicating subsequent cases during the academic year. Read the full message here.

Center at the Heights Staff Continues to Support Seniors During Pandemic

Staff of Needham’s Center at the Heights, along with partners like Trader Joe’s continue to support seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 1,000 bags of groceries have been delivered, providing staples to seniors at home. In addition, the staff continues to provide meals to seniors in collaboration with Springwell Elder Services. To learn more about what services are being provided or sign up, read the latest edition of the Compass newsletter.

Local Restaurants Urge Diners To Keep Eating Local with New Initiative

The chamber is currently spearheading an initiative called the Newton-Needham Dining Collaborative, created by Newton and Needham restaurateurs, designed to encourage the community to continue to patronize our local restaurants. Diners can find participating restaurants by visiting the Collaborative’s website.

Take the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA-DPH) is trying to better help people through the COVID-19 crisis by hearing about their experiences and challenges right now. By taking this survey, you can help find new solutions to community problems, and give MA-DPH the information it needs to take action and support the communities that need it most. MA-DPH is also committed to sharing information back in ways that will help us all take collective action.

How will the findings be used? Findings from this survey will be used to improve the state Department of Public Health’s ability to act - helping address the most critical needs, partnering with communities to support local efforts, and informing state policy with accurate information on what people need now and in the long term. Results will be available to community-based organizations for their own planning and action purposes.

Who should take this survey? Anyone 14 or older who lives in MA can and should take the survey. Even people who have not had COVID-19 can take this survey. DPH has a particular interest in gathering responses from communities that have been impacted the most, including: people of color, immigrants, individuals who are LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, essential workers, people experiencing housing instability, older adults, and those in geographic areas hardest hit by COVID-19.

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