Massachusetts passes 400,000 COVID-19 tests, 20,560 in quarantine

Massachusetts Coronavirus Update

On May 13, the Massachusetts Public Health Department reported that the state added 1,165 more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing to total to 80,497. This is an increase from Tuesday’s 870 reported cases.

174 new COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Wednesday bringing the total deaths in Massachusetts to 5,315. As of 4 pm today, 410,032 people in Massachusetts have been tested for COVID-19 – 8,536 new tests since yesterday.

As of May 12, 48,372 individuals in Massachusetts were subject to quarantine with 27,812 no longer in quarantine. 20,560 individuals are undergoing monitoring/under quarantine.

Several Republican legislators on Tuesday urged Gov. Charlie Baker to not delay the reopening of the economy any longer, expressing frustration that other states around Massachusetts are allowing businesses to resume activities while owners and employees in their districts remain in limbo. Full details here.

New Bedford Coronavirus Update

New Bedford officials today reported seven more COVID-19 related deaths – the highest one day total to date.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 62 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford on Wednesday, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 1,231, up from 1,169 on Saturday. The seven additional deaths bring the total death count attributed to COVID-19 to 43 in the city.

Mayor Jon Mitchell has announced that events in New Bedford with more than 10 people in attendance, and which require a City permit, have been cancelled through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2020, to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full details here.

Fall River Coronavirus Update

97 additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, according to the Mayor’s Office. This brings the total in Fall River to 888. Fall River saw 3 more deaths, bringing the total to 17. Full details here.




New Bedford to expand testing program for large workplaces, at-risk areas

Mayor Jon Mitchell and Southcoast Health have announced that, together, they are expanding a program to reach more at-risk areas and essential workers with COVID-19 testing.

The program is based on a joint pilot effort undertaken earlier this month to test commercial fishing crews on the New Bedford waterfront using the Southcoast Mobile Health Van for on-site, targeted COVID-19 testing, officials said.

That round of testing was a trial run to prepare for expanded testing capability, as targeted testing for essential and high-risk employees will be key to continuing to plan for reopening of the local economy and adjusting social distancing in the workplace, while keeping those employees safe both at the workplace and at home.

The City and Southcoast Health are partnering with the Immigrants Assistance Center to provide additional services and resources as part of the program. Medical interpreters from Southcoast Health will be on site, and literature in multiple languages will be available at the mobile testing site. Southcoast Health has also developed educational videos in multiple languages for employers to screen for their employees.

“Compared to other urban areas in the Northeast, a large portion of Greater New Bedford’s residents work in factories and other industrial facilities,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “Targeted testing at these facilities, coupled with the City’s safe-workplace orders, will help to stem transmission of COVID-19. I am grateful for the productive partnership with Southcoast Health, the Immigrants Assistance Center, and other services to protect the residents of our region.”

These plans align with Southcoast’s comprehensive efforts on COVID-19 education and testing across the not-for-profit community health system’s service area, officials said. A drive-up testing center opened in Dartmouth in April, and a walk-up testing site at Tobey Hospital opened in early May. In addition, Southcoast has provided testing for homeless populations in Fall River with plans to assist and support communities throughout the region. Southcoast is currently processing test results in house after the acquisition of two analyzers, reducing turnaround times.

“We are immensely proud of our entire region’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re fortunate to partner with our local municipalities in serving the healthcare needs of our region,” Southcoast President & CEO Keith Hovan said. “Throughout this battle, we have worked closely with municipal leaders, including Mayor Mitchell, our legislative delegation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to ensure all residents have the access they need to healthcare services.”

Last week, Mayor Mitchell and the Board of Health announced two emergency orders to keep employees safe at their place of work, and to outline reporting requirements of COVID-19 in the workplace. The orders include strong measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in industrial facilities including social distancing, stringent cleaning and disinfection, employee temperature checks, and accommodations for any employees to use sick time in compliance with federal and state laws.




New Bedford suspends city-permitted events of more than 10 people through Labor Day

Mayor Jon Mitchell has announced that events in New Bedford with more than 10 people in attendance, and which require a City permit, have been cancelled through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2020, to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Bedford’s Independence Day fireworks for July 4 have also been cancelled. Festivals, parades, and other city-permitted events that draw large crowds in the city have all been suspended through September 7.

Last week, Mayor Mitchell and the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento announced that the City’s largest summer event, the 106th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, scheduled for July 30 through August 2, has been cancelled. The Feast draws hundreds of thousands of attendees every summer.

Mayor Mitchell declared a state of emergency in New Bedford on March 13 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the City has acted to protect public health through social distancing, offering remote services, the protection of seniors and workers in the city, and issuing other important public health guidance. More information is available at www.newbedford-ma.gov.




New Bedford reports seven more COVID-19 related deaths – highest one-day total yet

New Bedford officials today reported seven more COVID-19 related deaths – the highest one day total to date.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 62 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford on Wednesday, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 1,231, up from 1,169 on Saturday. The seven additional deaths bring the total death count attributed to COVID-19 to 43 in the city.

21 additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, according to the Mayor’s Office. This brings the total in Fall River to 791. The City was notified of its fourteenth fatality. Full details here.

On May 11, the Massachusetts Public Health Department reported that the state added 870 more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing to total to 79,332. This is an increase from Monday’s 669 reported cases. Full details here.

Several Republican legislators on Tuesday urged Gov. Charlie Baker to not delay the reopening of the economy any longer, expressing frustration that other states around Massachusetts are allowing businesses to resume activities while owners and employees in their districts remain in limbo. Full details here.




EforAll and eforever to deliver programs to support local business owners in the South Coast area during pandemic

New Partnership Between Nonprofit Accelerator EforAll and Peer-to-Peer Group Program Eforever Will Allow Small Business Owners to Help Each Other Persevere and Thrive.

Recognizing the importance of peer-to-peer support to small business owners facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the nonprofit Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) announced today that it is partnering with the Mansmann Foundation to provide existing businesses and nonprofits in the South Coast with access to the community-based group program known as “eforever.”

As businesses nationwide look for ways to innovate and continue operating throughout the crisis, EforAll and eforever will deliver programs to support local business owners in the South Coast area. Monthly meetings will provide opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs to meet virtually or in-person to share their business experiences and learn from one another under the guidance of a trained facilitator.

“Our mission is to accelerate economic and social impact in the communities we serve through inclusive entrepreneurship,” said EforAll CEO David Parker. “Joining forces with Mansmann’s eforever program in the South Coast is a natural extension of our mission and allows us to provide peer-to-peer support for local businesses – something that’s particularly critical during these challenging times but invaluable on an ongoing basis for EforAll alumni and other small business owners.”

EforAll’s proven approach helps under-resourced individuals successfully start and grow their businesses or nonprofits through a unique combination of immersive business training, dedicated mentorship and access to a professional network. EforAll has offered its no-cost Business Accelerator twice a year in the South Coast since 2015, along with quarterly Pitch Contests where entrepreneurs can test a business idea in front of their community. The nonprofit has helped more than 500 businesses get started across the communities it serves.

Since 2014, the eforever program has helped 326 entrepreneurs make better business decisions, persevere through challenges and feel more confident in sustaining and growing their businesses in 15 different communities in the Pittsburgh, PA area. The program utilizes professionally facilitated groups that typically consist of 8-10 small and diverse business owners who meet monthly for a roundtable review of member progress, peer-to-peer problem solving to help overcome member challenges and interactive skill-building activities. Members agree to strict confidentiality and operate non-competing businesses.

“We’ve seen first-hand how inspiring and effective these peer-to-peer groups can be in the Pittsburgh area, and we’re excited about partnering with EforAll to expand into communities like the South Coast,” said AJ Drexler, CEO of the Mansmann Foundation. “97% of the businesses in this lifelong group are still operational and 74% feel more confident about their finances as a result of their eforever experience.”

EforAll and eforever plan to launch the first peer-to-peer group in the South Coast in early summer 2020 with 8-10 local business owners who work full-time on their venture, have been operating at least one year and meet a minimum annual revenue threshold. The program will be offered at no cost and all interested businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to learn more or apply at entrepreneursforever.org/MA. Eforever will be hiring someone in the South Coast area to oversee its new program within the next few months.

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About EforAll
Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is a nonprofit organization that partners with communities nationwide to help under-represented individuals successfully start and grow a business through intensive business training, mentorship and an extended professional support network.

To date, EforAll alumni have launched more than 500 businesses and created more than 700 local jobs. Programs are available in both English and Spanish. EforAll is currently available in the following MA communities: Berkshire County, Cape Cod, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford and Roxbury as well as Longmont CO.

To learn more about EforAll, please visit eforall.org.




Three Massachusetts Republicans call for Baker to reopen economy

Matt Murphy
State House News Service

Several Republican legislators on Tuesday urged Gov. Charlie Baker to not delay the reopening of the economy any longer, expressing frustration that other states around Massachusetts are allowing businesses to resume activities while owners and employees in their districts remain in limbo.

The lawmakers — three of the more conservative figures in the House — also expressed impatience with the level of detail the Baker administration has provided to businesses so far about which ones will be allowed to open first and when. Business owners should be allowed to figure out for themselves, to some degree, how to safely bring employees back to work, the lawmakers said.

“It’s time to open Massachusetts without delay,” said Rep. Marc Lombardo, a Billerica Republican who wore a red “Make America Great Again” cap on Tuesday’s Zoom call.

Baker on Monday outlined a “four-phase” strategy for slowly reopening with economy, with certain types of businesses that are “more naturally set up” to limit interpersonal interactions going first. The governor and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, however, indicated that more details would be forthcoming in the next couple of days and in the full report on May 18 when the governor’s non-essential business closure order is due to expire.

“My fear is we’re not opening fast enough and we’re not bringing clarity to the rules businesses should use to reopen…Let’s help make Massachusetts great again,” Lombardo said.

Lombardo was one of three Republican House lawmakers to join the Zoom press conference organized by the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a conservative non-profit that has been advocating for businesses to be given more leeway to safely resume operations.

Rep. Alyson Sullivan of Abington and Rep. David DeCoste of Norwell were also on the call, as was Republican State Party Chairman Jim Lyons, though Lyons did not speak.

“Now that we have the necessary medical equipment and PPE we can begin the process of reopening the economy and begin the process of moving not toward a new normal, but a normal,” said Sullivan, playing off Baker’s repeated use of the term “new normal.”

Many public health experts in Massachusetts and around the country have expressed concerns that states might be moving too quickly to reopen, risking a reversal of the progress they’ve made in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Sullivan, however, said she was worried that any further extensions of the governor’s executive order keeping “non-essential” businesses closed could mean that many small business owners in her district will never be able to reopen.

She also said she’s worried about placing too onerous restrictions on businesses like restaurants.

For instance, Sullivan said if a 25 percent capacity limit were put in place on restaurants, many establishments in her district won’t open because they are too small to turn a profit at that level.

“For those people who want to go back to work, we should allow them. They know what steps they need to take to protect themselves, their families and others,” Sullivan said.

DeCoste said that Baker has provided “superb leadership” during the crisis, but should now take a cue from what’s happening in other states like Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island where salons and other enterprises have been given explicit instructions on how to reopen with masks and other safety measures in place.

“I would just remind the governor when they do make a decision that we’re not existing in a vacuum,” DeCoste said.

Baker has said that every state, including those bordering Massachusetts, are operating on their own timetable based on what they’re seeing in the numbers of new infections and the rate of spread of the coronavirus. While the trends in Massachusetts have been encouraging in recent days, Massachusetts was hit harder that most of its neighbors and is still coming down from the peak.

“COVID-19 has placed an incredible burden on our economy, created uncertainty and losses for every region of our commonwealth, but together we are developing the framework and phases that the governor described to put us back on track as quickly and as safely as possible,” Polito said on Monday.

DeCoste, however, said residents in his district will simply drive across the border to get a haircut rather than wait for their local barber to be allowed to open.

“I don’t think we’re doing our citizens or the local businesses any favors in delaying beyond what our peers in other states are doing,” DeCoste said.

Rather than “picking winners and losers,” Lombardo said the state should “trust the ingenuity of small business owners to get themselves safely reopened and back to work.”

All three said the business shutdown had been effective in making sure hospitals were not overrun and in reducing the severity of the surge in infection last month. But Sullivan noted that even those measures could not stop more than 5,000 people from dying from the disease.

“It does not have to be either or, either we stay closed or people will die,” Sullivan said. “Shutting down businesses has not prevented those deaths and we can take calculated steps as we allow businesses to reopen to protect those most vulnerable people.”

Paul Craney, a spokesman for the Fiscal Alliance, said the 56-day closure has had a disproportionate impact on blue collar workers who “can’t simply Zoom to a work meeting like we can.”

“Now is the time for State House leaders to be as transparent as possible in laying out the framework for which businesses can open and when. Every job is essential,” Craney said.




Qualifying New Bedford Public School students to receive 6 months of free internet

During school closure, New Bedford Public School teachers and staff are connecting regularly with families to ensure they have access to resources and support to continue their student’s academic enrichment through the district’s remote learning programming. To ensure equity NBPS is collaborating with Comcast Internet Essentials to sponsor internet access for 6 months for families who do not currently have internet access and who have not had Comcast internet in the past 90 days. The program is being made possible in part through funding from the New Bedford Education Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts (Community Foundation).

In recognizing Comcast and the Community Foundation, Superintendent Thomas Anderson stated, “It is vital that we do all we can to ensure that our students have the tools and the access they need to continue learning remotely. Comcast’s Internet Essentials program is a means to help provide equity for every student no matter their income status. We thank the Community Foundation for its role in making this a reality for our students.”

John Vasconcellos, Community Foundation President, noted, “the COVID19 crisis has presented extreme challenges here at home and across the world. But it is a challenge for which our Community Foundation was created. As a regional leader in philanthropy for education, we manage 75 educational funds that provide scholarship to local students and grants for local organizations to increase educational attainment and opportunity. A grant to help students to continue learning during this crisis is a vital program we are pleased to assist.”

Qualifying New Bedford Public School families may call the district’s Help Line at the NBPS Family Welcome Center: (508) 997-4515 or email fwc@newbedfordschools.org to receive a personalized code and directions for receiving internet access through Comcast Internet Essentials.




Frontline employees would receive $13/hour raise under new $3 trillion bill

Chris Lisinski
State House News Service

Congressional Democrats unveiled the most expansive COVID-19 bill to date Tuesday, calling for nearly $3 trillion in spending to support Americans in dire financial straits and assist state and local governments facing extreme budget pressures.

Stretching across more than 1,800 pages, the legislation that emerged from the Ways and Means Committee would direct massive amounts of federal dollars toward hospitals, education, tracing the spread of infections, unemployment programs, election funding, direct aid to individuals and families, and more.

The colossal bill, which would serve as the “Phase Four” of federal relief, would surpass the $2.2 trillion CARES Act as the largest stimulus package in U.S. history if it passed in its entirety. That outcome appears unlikely at this time with Republican Senate leaders and the White House seemingly not on board, although officials from both parties will face continued pressure from dislocated constituents this election year.

Among the largest proposed allocations would be $500 billion to help state governments grapple with the financial impacts of the pandemic. Local governments would also receive $375 billion for the same reason, with another $20 billion going to tribal governments and $20 billion more for territories.

The legislation, which authors dubbed the HEROES Act, would create a $190 billion fund to provide premium pay for essential employees on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the 71-page bill summary.

Qualifying workers whose employers apply for federal grants would receive $13 per hour on top of their regular wages, up to $10,000 for the period between Jan. 27 and 60 days after the state of emergency ends.

House Democrats also called for sending another round of direct payments to Americans following the first set authorized in the CARES Act. Each eligible family member would receive a $1,200 payment, capped at $6,000 per household, under the updated plan, and eligibility would expand to include college students and non-child dependents.

Expanded unemployment benefits, including an additional $600 per week per recipient and access to aid for previously ineligible individuals such as gig workers, would last through January 2021 under the bill.

The sweeping bill also proposes hundreds of billions of dollars to cover financial impacts the pandemic inflicted on a range of industries and sectors: $100 billion for K-12 schools and higher education, $100 billion for hospitals and health care providers that lost revenue amid cancellation of elective procedures, $100 billion to help low-income renters avoid eviction, $75 billion to help homeowners in need and $75 billion to expand testing and nationwide contact tracing.

Transit agencies, which received a $25 billion boost from the CARES Act, that need assistance to maintain service would get another $15.75 billion in grants, while the United States Post Office would see a $25 billion infusion.

States and municipalities, many of which are required to file balanced budgets even as they face historic tax revenue shortfalls stemming from the public health emergency, have been pushing for significant federal aid.

Gov. Charlie Baker filed a $1 billion supplemental budget Tuesday to cover COVID-related spending, and his office said the proposal would “result in no net cost” following anticipated federal reimbursement.

The outbreak of the highly infectious virus has already killed more than 80,000 Americans, and the widespread shutdowns aimed at limiting an even higher death toll have created widespread economic strain.

In April, the U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent in the largest one-month increase on record.

“People across our nation are hurting, and Congress must take extraordinary, immediate action to provide them with relief,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said in a press release alongside the bill. “Families are feeling the pain of a terrible one-two punch — a national public health emergency coupled with a historic economic downturn. The gravity of our new reality demands substantial solutions, and that’s what Ways and Means Democrats offer in this latest response package.”

Neal plans to promote the bill at an 11 a.m. press conference outside U.S. District Court in Springfield on Wednesday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly intends to bring the more than 1,800-page bill to the House floor for a vote on Friday.

However, while the legislation signals what Democrats hope to see in the next round of relief, Republican leaders foreshadowed they do not share the same priorities at this time.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell previously called for a pause before embarking on any additional action, and on Monday, he said he would coordinate with the Trump administration about what comes next, according to multiple media reports.

“I don’t think we have yet felt the urgency of acting immediately,” McConnell said. “That time could develop, but I don’t think it has yet.”




Massachusetts sees lowest one-day COVID-19 death total since Mar 31

Massachusetts Coronavirus Update

On May 12, the Massachusetts Public Health Department reported that the state added 870 more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing to total to 79,332. This is an increase from Monday’s 669 reported cases.

33 new COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Tuesday bringing the total deaths in Massachusetts to 5,141. This is the lowest one-day total March 31. As of 4 pm today, 394,728 people in Massachusetts have been tested for COVID-19 – 6,339 new tests since yesterday.

As of May 5, 32,019 individuals in Massachusetts were subject to quarantine with 22,148 no longer in quarantine. 9,871 individuals are undergoing monitoring/under quarantine.

Six Bristol County Sheriff’s Office staff members and eight inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last week. Full details here.

New Bedford Coronavirus Update

New Bedford officials reported two more COVID-19 related deaths and 18 new cases since Monday.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 18 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford on Tuesday, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 1169, up from 1,151 on Saturday. The two additional deaths bring the total death count attributed to COVID-19 to 36 in the city.

Fall River Coronavirus Update

21 additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, according to the Mayor’s Office. This brings the total in Fall River to 791. The City was notified of its fourteenth fatality. Full details here.




UPDATED: 3 Bristol County Staff Members, 1 Inmate Test Positive for COVID-19

UPDATED: Six Bristol County Sheriff’s Office staff members and eight inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last week.

The inmates are being housed in medical isolation, where they are being monitored continuously by health care professionals. The medical team is also monitoring inmates in their former housing unit.

There is a total of nine county inmates in Bristol County custody to test positive for COVID. Additionally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported last week one positive test among ICE detainees in Bristol. That individual is also in medical isolation and being monitored.

The six staff members are 3 corrections officers, a communications dispatcher, a nurse and a classification counselor. One officer, the nurse and the dispatcher were last at the facility on May 6 and received notification of positive tests over the weekend. The counselor and another officer were last on duty Friday, and another officer was last on duty Sunday. They received notification of a positive test today.

In total, seven Bristol County Sheriff’s Office staff members have recovered from COVID and have returned to duty. Eleven others, including the three remain away from the facility recovering. All have reported feeling well and are expected back soon.

“The COVID pandemic has taken a toll on our country,” Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said. “In the middle of this national epidemic, essential workers like those in corrections, law enforcement, and health care have joined others at grocery stores, gas stations and other places in reporting to work to keep our country going. They deserve an enormous amount of credit.”

Over the past few months, the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office has instituted many protocols to protect inmates, detainees and staff from the Coronavirus outbreak. Some of those measures include:

· All employees were given masks that must be worn inside the secure perimeter of our facilities. All inmates and detainees have also been given masks to wear for protection.
· All areas of the facility are being cleaned\disinfected every day on every shift.
· All staff members are being screened before entering the buildings; new arriving inmates are being screened before being accepted into custody.
· In-person visitation has been suspended to limit the number of people coming in and out.