Shrewsbury Declares State Of Emergency Amid Coronavirus

SHREWSBURY, MA — Shrewsbury declared a local state of emergency on Tuesday. There are three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Shrewsbury. As more testing becomes available, the number of cases in towns across the commonwealth could increase.

Shrewsbury Town Manager Kevin Mizikar said the declaration drives home the point that the situation is serious and should be treated as such.

"First and foremost, the Declaration of Emergency will acknowledge just how serious this situation has become for our residents. Second, it provides authority from the Board of Selectmen to the Town Manager to take extraordinary but measured actions to facilitate and expedite the use of measured resources to protect our residents. Lastly, it allows for certain extraordinary financial and procurement actions to facilitate the operation of the Town," Mizikar said in a statement.

Shrewsbury was one of the first towns in the state to get a CVS drive-thru testing facility.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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