Coronavirus: Weymouth Mayor Issues Emergency Declaration

WEYMOUTH, MA — Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund issued an emergency declaration Friday that included specific guidelines for town events, programming and operations through "at least" March 30. Weymouth Schools will be closed for the next two weeks, along with non-essential government meetings canceled and permits being withdraw for all public events.

“The health and protection of every resident is our primary concern," Mayor Hedlund said. "While we are not aware of any confirmed or presumed COVID-19 cases in Weymouth as of (Friday), we are planning under the assumption that will change given the increase in testing and the expected growth rate in confirmed and presumed cases, based on information provided to us by Medical Professionals, including South Shore Health Systems, who are on the front lines of dealing with this pandemic."

Hedlund said the following protocols have been put in place through at least March 30.

• All programming and events at the Weymouth Elder Services are suspended. Outreach, Transportation, SHINE, and AARP Tax assistance will continue to take place for now. In addition, Meals on Wheels by South Shore Elder Services will continue to use the McCulloch building for food preparation and delivery to area seniors.
• All group programming at Weymouth Public Libraries is suspended. Each branch will remain open for regularly scheduled hours.
• All group programming at the Weymouth Teen Center is suspended. Individual assistance through Youth and Family Services will still be available.
• Weymouth Schools have announced that classes and all school activities will be cancelled.
• The Town will not issue any special event permits and we will be in contact with Organizers of currently approved events to consider postponing or cancelling. This includes organized events permitted through the Recreation Department.
• All non-essential government meetings will be cancelled. Using the Governor’s order on making public meetings more available by phone or conference call as guidance, we are working to procure means to hold essential meetings remotely. We will also encourage limited (essential) agendas and encourage postponements when possible. We also ask residents to participate by these remote means when possible. We will be providing more detail soon on these alternative means of public participation to essential public meetings during this emergency.
• We are asking residents and the public to utilize the Town website, phone calls, and email to conduct town-related business when possible. Contact info for town departments can be found at https://www.weymouth.ma.us/departments. The link to pay bills online is on the front page of the Town’s main page - https://www.weymouth.ma.us. You may also call the Town’s main line at 781-335-2000 or the Mayor’s office at 781-340-5012.

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The town is not closing public buildings such as the McCulloch Building, libraries, and Town Hall. School buildings will be closed. Weymouth public spaces, such as parks and fields, will remain open.

Mayor Hedlund said town employees are restricted from traveling out of stay for any work-related purpose, are advised to reconsider personal travel outside of the country and are being told to stay home if feeling sick. He said private companies are encouraged to do the same.

Those who have recently traveled to any countries of high level transmission and have symptoms of respiratory illness and/or fever, or if you have come in contact with someone who meets these criteria, you should contact your, health care provider, the Massachusetts State Epidemiology line at 617-983-6800, or the Weymouth Health Department at 781-340 5008. Please call first, do not go to any medical facility without calling and informing them of your medical condition. The health care facility will determine if you are eligible to be tested for COVID-19.

LIST: All school and college closings across Massachusetts.

Several school districts are closing for anywhere from weeks to a month as officials scramble to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus. Everett Public Schools was the first to announce a prolonged break, saying Thursday afternoon it would cancel class for 30 days. Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Burlington, Lexington and Winchester followed suit soon after, saying they were closing until March 27.

(More on the coronavirus can be found in this fact sheet from the CDC.)