Tewksbury Coronavirus: Town Offices Closed, Schools Update

TEWKSBURY, MA — All Tewksbury town offices and facilities are closed to the public, the town announced Monday morning. Most town services are available online or by phone. The announcement is part of an effort to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.

The school district also updated the community Monday. After the district announced last week that it would close for two weeks, Gov. Charlie Baker ordered a three-week shutdown statewide. Under rules for the outbreak, the last day of school in the district will be June 19, the 185th day.

"There is no discussion at the district level to adjust April vacation in any way," Superintendent Chris Malone said. Schedules may change, however.

The district will be offering free grab-and-go lunch for all students, targeting those who receive free and reduced lunch. The lunches will be available for pickup at the North Street Elementary School, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, until April 6.

Malone's letter includes a link to free resources and activities for students during the closure recommended by the state, but notes that more details are coming on enrichment activities.

Online town services include paying bills, using the elibrary and making public works service requests.

The town announcement is here. The town website is tewksbury-ma.gov. The town clerk's office is at (978) 640-4355.

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

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.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.