Fenway Civic Association

We are seeing a massive uptick in discarded PPE littering our streets and grocery store parking lots. Please do your part to make it easier for essential workers and neighbors by properly disposing of masks and gloves in trash receptacles.

As always, we encourage everyone to stay home whenever possible, practice physical distancing and wear face coverings outside the house, wash your hands, and clean and disinfect surfaces.

 

The weekly BPHC report shows the positive cases breakdown by neighborhood and reflect a 46% increase in cases. Today’s dashboard from the State can be found here. Below are the most recent updates from the Mayor’s Office.

 

COVID-19 CASES

INCREASING TESTING ACCESS 

UNIVERSAL TESTING FOR HOMELESS POPULATION

GUIDANCE FOR RESTAURANTS ON SALE OF GROCERIES

APPOINTMENT OF NEW FIRE COMMISSIONER

ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL MAY 5TH HEARING CANCELED

LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEAN UPS CANCELED

CITY OF BOSTON COVID-19 OPERATIONS

BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

CONSTRUCTION

HIRING BPHC POSITIONS

HELP COVID-19 EFFORTS

STAY INFORMED

 

COVID-19 CASES

The City of Boston has 7,617 positive cases of coronavirus (confirmed and presumptive) in Boston residents. So far, 1,426 of these 7,617 residents have fully recovered. There have been 259 COVID-19 related deaths in Boston residents. 

 

We urge everyone to stay home, avoid contact with others and observe the recommended curfew of 9pm-6am. If you must go outside for an essential task, we urge you to wear a face covering and stay 6ft away from others. Make sure to wash your hands often and clean and sanitize high-contact surfaces frequently. 

 

The City posts race and ethnicity data for deaths, as well as for confirmed cases on boston.gov/coronavirus. As of yesterday, the data shows that of the 193 deaths in Boston, where race is known, 44% are white, 31% are black, 10% are Asian or Pacific Islander, 12% are Latino, and 4% are identified as other. The City of Boston’s COVID-19 Health Inequities Task Force meets regularly. They are identifying key strategies to address inequities including expanded testng, data sharing and analysis, and strengthening neighborhood outreach.

 

The Boston Public Health Commission will be providing the updated total of cases in Boston residents as it is received from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Information can be found at boston.gov/coronavirus or bphc.org.

 

Massachusetts has 50,969 positive cases of coronavirus (confirmed and presumptive) and 2,556 deaths reported at this time. Massachusetts has also tested 215,213 individuals to date. 

 

The City of Boston has two dashboards to provide statistics on COVID19 cases in Boston and throughout Massachusetts.  View them here.

 

The City of Boston has a free texting service to provide daily updates and information about the coronavirus. Text BOSCOVID to 888-777 to opt-in for English. Language and communications access remains a priority for Mayor Walsh, so this text service which was available in Spanish, Haitan Creole, French, Cabo Verdean Creole, and Portuguese, now includes Somali, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Russian.

• Text BOSEspanol to 888-777 for Spanish

• Text BOSKreyol to 888-777 for Haitian Kreyol

• Text BOSFrancais to 888-777 for French

• Text BOSKriolu to 888-777 for Cabo Verdean Creole

• Text BOSPortugues to 888-777 for Portuguese

• Text BOSSoomali to 888-777 for Somali

• Text BOSChi to 888-777 for Simplified Chinese

• Text BOSbilAraby to 888-777 for Arabic

• Text BOSViet to 888-777 for Vietnamese

• Text BOSRus to 888-777 for Russian

Updates in 10 total languages can additionally be accessed through boston.gov/coronavirus#multilingual-help. Each language has its own page and hosts multilingual print materials distributed citywide. 

 

INCREASING TESTING ACCESS

On April 24nd, Mayor Walsh reiterated that increased testing for COVID-19 is a City of Boston priority. Testing helps us better understand how many people are infected and where; allows us to direct medical resources more efficiently and equitably; tells us more about how the virus behaves and what we can expect moving forward; and is necessary before steps can be taken toward reopening and recovery. The Mayor also provided an update on our work expanding testing access in Boston.

• The Boston Resiliency Fund has used over $760,000 to expand testing at nine community health centers in East Boston, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.  

• We’ve granted an additional $270,000 for telehealth services and equipment at those community health centers to connect testing to treatment options. 

• We now have 15 testing sites in the City of Boston. That includes 10 operated by community health centers and 5 operated by hospitals. A map of testing sites and contact information is available at boston.gov/coronavirus. Residents are reminded to call ahead for pre-screening and to schedule an appointment. 

• The Boston Public Health Commission is now sharing testing data at the neighborhood level. 

• In the last week, we’ve had a 30% increase in the amount of testing citywide, and larger increases in the areas hardest hit by infection. 

  • Hyde Park has had a 57% increase in testing.

  • Mattapan has had a 35% increase in testing. 

  • The hardest-hit zip codes in Dorchester saw a 37% increase in testing.  

• The goal is for every community health center to provide testing for residents. 

• Testing is free and you will not be asked about your immigration status at a testing site.

UNIVERSAL TESTING FOR HOMELESS POPULATION

On April 24th, Mayor Walsh announced that the City of Boston will move forward with universal testing for COVID-19 for all unhoused individuals in Boston.

• As of yesterday, 1,340 shelter guests have been tested. Roughly one third of those have tested positive. 

• The City of Boston has secured 1,000 additional tests, which will allow universal testing for guests in our shelter system, in addition to some shelter staff.

• The tests are being donated by a Boston company called Orig3n. 

• The testing will be done over the next two weeks, led by Boston Health Care for the Homeless in coordination with the Boston Public Health Commission, St. Francis House, and the Pine Street Inn. 

• Individuals who test positive will receive the care and support they need to recover. 

• Individuals who test negative will be placed in designated areas to allow for better physical distancing to prevent transmission.

 

GUIDANCE FOR RESTAURANTS ON SALE OF GROCERIES

On April 24th, Mayor Walsh announced the City of Boston will allow permitted restaurants to sell grocery items via delivery, curbside pickup, and takeout by waiving the required Retail Food Permit for the sale of uncooked foods. 

• The new temporary policy and guidance formed by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, the Inspectional Services Department, and the Licensing Board for the City of Boston will improve access to food and essential items for residents, and help ensure social distancing guidelines continue to be upheld.

• Restaurants that want to start selling groceries must follow strict food safety guidelines. 

• They will also need to follow clear guidelines for packaging and labeling foods. 

• Restaurants will still be required to limit occupancy to 10 people at any time, and maintain physical distancing, with at least 6 feet in between all staff and customers. 

• More information at Boston.gov/coronavirus 

APPOINTMENT OF NEW FIRE COMMISSIONER

On April 24th, Mayor Walsh announced he has appointed John Dempsey to the permanent post of Fire Commissioner for the City of Boston.

• Commissioner Dempsey is a 35-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department who has risen through the ranks of leadership. He was appointed to the interim position in early March, just before the acceleration of the coronavirus outbreak. 

• The Mayor noted that Commissioner Dempsey has approached this unprecedented crisis with professionalism and decisiveness. By quickly implementing safety protocols, cleaning upgrades, and Personal Protective Equipment, he has kept firefighters safe and the Department fully operational in serving the people of Boston.

 

ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL MAY 5TH HEARING CANCELED

Please be advised that the Zoning Board of Appeal May 5th hearing date has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID19 Public Health Emergency

• New hearing date will be June 30th, 2020 at 11:30am. The public notice and agenda may be found here. 

• Public access to the Inspectional Services Dept offices at 1010 Massachusetts Ave is restricted to appointment only. 

• Applicants requesting relief of the zoning or building code, or anyone inquiring about upcoming hearings, should email ISDBoardOfAppeal@boston.gov or call 617-635-4775.

 

LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEAN UPS CANCELED

Due to the on-going public health emergency, the annual Love Your Block Spring Clean Ups scheduled for May 2nd and May 16th have been canceled.

• Love Your Block neighborhood clean ups are a time honored tradition of sprucing up our front steps, local parks, bonding with neighbors and giving back to our community. 

• Each year hundreds of residents from different civic groups in every neighborhood across Boston participate in the program.

• We will share details about a new date in the Fall once we’ve been able to reschedule. 

 

CITY OF BOSTON COVID-19 OPERATIONS

All essential City of Boston services such as public safety, public health and maintenance operations including street cleaning, parks maintenance, trash and recycling pick up, etc will continue to be in operation.

• City Hall is open to the public only on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 am.to 5 pm

• Public access to 1010 Massachusetts Avenue is limited to the Boston Public Health Commission on the 2nd Floor and residents must be accompanied when entering the building. 

• Everyone entering City Hall, including employees and members of the public, will be required to complete a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms, including elevated temperature.

• Residents are required to make appointments if they need to visit any of the essential services offered out of City Hall, and can learn more about the status of city departments and hours of operation here. 

 

Residents are asked not to call 9-1-1 unless you are experiencing a medical emergency. All COVID-19 questions should be directed to the Mayor’s Health Line at 617-534-5050 or 311. The City and BPHC will continue to provide updated information on bphc.org and boston.gov/coronavirus.

 

BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

Boston Public Schools will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. 

• BPS has been making plans to expand at-home learning opportunities, and will be sharing more information about this next phase of remote learning after April vacation.

• Boston Public Schools has issued a needs assessment survey to all students in the district. Families should respond to the survey to help us determine how to better support them throughout the school closure. The survey is available in 10 different languages. 

• The City of Boston is continuing to operate meal pick-up sites and providing Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots. Every day, we are distributing thousands of free meals at 65 locations across the City, and making home deliveries for students with severe special needs. 

• More information about how we’re supporting Boston Public School families can be found here.

 

Meal Distribution sites near Fenway, Kenmore, and Mission Hill include the following:

BCYF Tobin at 1481 Tremont Street — 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 
Boston Latin School at 78 Avenue Louis Pasteur — 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

YMCA at 316 Huntington Ave — 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Blackstone Elementary School at 380 Shawmut Ave — 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Vibrant Boston Community Center at Lenox/Camden at 136 Lenox St — 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

 

CONSTRUCTION

Due to the public health emergency caused by the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Walsh announced that he is extending the City of Boston’s order to pause non-essential construction for City of Boston permitted sites. The initial order announced on March 16th was set for 14 days and will now continue until further notice. Additional information can be found here. 

 

HIRING BPHC POSITIONS

The City is actively hiring candidates for critical positions such as homeless counselors, recovery services, public health advocates and public safety officers. Please go to bphc.org for job listings.

 

HELP COVID19 EFFORTS

• Stay home. If you must go outside, practice physical distancing from others (6 feet apart); avoid crowded places.

• Wear a face covering if you absolutely must go outside. Face covers help reduce the risk of a person spreading the virus, especially if they are asymptomatic. Visit CDC guidelines on face coverings for more information and guidance. 

• Observe the recommended curfew for everyone in Boston except for essential workers to stay at home from 9 pm to 6 am daily 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol; avoid shaking hands

• Cover your coughs and sneezes; clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces; and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• If you think you might be sick, please call your doctor or 311 to be connected to the Mayor’s Health Line 617-534-5050. Buoy Health has created a free online diagnostic tool which screens for COVID19 at buoy.com/mass.

• Donate supplies to first responders here

• Donate to the City of Boston Resiliency Fund here

• Volunteer with the City of Boston here 

• For Food access needs, visit our Food Resources Map or call 3-1-1

• Fill out the 2020 Census. The Census informs how billions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers annually for the next 10 years. It’s more critical than ever to ensure that all Bostonians are counted. 

 

STAY INFORMED

Receive the latest COVID19 info from reliable sources. Visit: bphc.org/coronavirus; boston.gov/coronavirus; mass.gov/2019coronavirus. Call: 311 or 211

 

We will keep you informed as we receive updates. Stay healthy and stay safe.