My updates relating to COVID-19 for Thursday, October 29, 2020.
Below are Mayor Walsh’s remarks as prepared for October 29, 2020.
In Massachusetts yesterday (Wednesday), there were 1,137 new confirmed cases. The total is now 150,498 confirmed cases. There were 36 new deaths, for a total of 9,700.
Boston yesterday: we had 106 new cases, for a total of 19,986. Today we will hit the 20,000 case mark, representing 2.9% of our city’s population, and a reminder of the reach of this virus, and the work we still have left to do. There was one new death, and the total is 778.
Our prayers are with the families who lost loved ones and all those who are ill.
The latest COVID test data: For the week ending Saturday, October 24, the average number of Boston residents who tested positive each day was 121, up from 95 the previous week. The positive test rate was 7.8%, up from 6.2%.
This data continues to reflect a steady increase in COVID activity in Boston, similar to what we are seeing statewide. It is not close to the levels we saw in April. Hospital admissions for COVID-19 are less than 10 percent of what we saw at our peak. But, our focus — all of us — must be to stop the spread and turn this trend around.
I’m going to talk today about the steps we are taking.
We’re continuing our targeted outreach to communities most severely impacted. That includes the neighborhoods with positivity over 10% last week: Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale, and East Boston. In the last two months, we’ve visited hundreds of businesses. We’ve distributed over 2,000 COVID care kits to residents and businesses, with information in several languages. That work continues.
We are also adjusting our reopening plans, using the cautious approach that we’ve taken throughout this pandemic.
Last week, we took the Boston Public Schools to fully remote learning. The health and safety of our students and school communities are a top priority. So, we’re going to keep the reopening plan paused until we see consistently lower positivity rates.
The Boston Public Schools continues to work hard to make remote learning the best it can possibly be, and the attendance numbers remain strong. They are working to make sure students with the highest needs can get their services and supports.
We continue to have free meals available to all youth and families at 98 sites citywide. That includes 26 BPS schools where you can pick up a week’s worth of meals in a single visit. You can find them all at boston.gov/BostonEats.
We also need everyone to be smart and safe this Halloween weekend. I want to remind families: Halloween must be different this year. Trick-or-treating, there should be no knocking on doors and giving out candy by hand. We need to keep face-to-face contact as minimal as possible. If you want to place individually wrapped candies on a tray in front of your house, you can do that. And families should go out only with your own household, not larger groups. We all must wear proper face coverings. A costume mask is not PPE, it does not protect you. I also need to remind adults: there should be no parties this weekend.
At the same time, Halloween is a holiday that lifts people’s spirits, and we need our spirits lifted. So we are suggesting a range of safe activities, like the Parks and Recreation Department’s virtual pumpkin carving contest and a Dia de Muertos altar in Franklin Park this weekend. You can find the guidelines and safe activities at boston.gov/halloween.
I’m also asking businesses and organizations to continue to prioritize safety.
Yesterday, the Boston Athletic Association postponed next year’s Boston Marathon until the fall at the earliest. That’s an example of the proactive caution we need to continue to exercise, so I thank the BAA for their leadership.
We have detailed guidance for each sector that builds on the state guidelines. I urge all employers to make sure you are in compliance and providing a safe work environment for your employees. We’ve talked about the role of parties in spreading the virus, we also have to focus on workplaces. That’s where many people are coming into contact. You can find the guidelines at boston.gov/reopening.
As a City, we must continue to follow the science, respond to the data, and work to support the residents of Boston. The health and safety of our residents is our number one priority, especially residents who are more vulnerable due to age, due to health inequities, and due to income loss. And, as I’ve also said since the beginning, this has to be a collective effort.
Normally, I would focus on personal precautions like wearing a mask, washing your hands, and avoiding gatherings. Those things are as important as ever, but I have a different focus today. It’s a call to action.
I am asking everyone to commit to getting tested for COVID-19. Getting tested is how you keep yourself and your family safe. And it’s also how we track the presence of the virus in our community. We need the most accurate picture we can get, so we can focus our response in the most effective way.
We’ve made great progress, as a City, expanding access to testing. We now have more than 30 active testing sites across the city. You can find them at boston.gov/coronavirus. This is a major advantage we have, compared to our situation early in the pandemic. And right now, we are investing in more testing resources, more contact-tracing capacity, and more ability to support people who need to quarantine. But we have to make sure we are using these resources. And, despite increased access, we’ve seen our daily testing numbers fall off in recent weeks. As we head into this critical time, we need to turn that around. And we need everyone to focus on how they can help.
A question people have is, when should you get tested?
Certainly, if you have any symptoms — like fever, cough, or shortness of breath — you should get tested right away. Also, if you have a known exposure, meaning someone in your household, who you work with, or who you interacted with tests positive. Or, if you have been part of a large gathering or have traveled. If you meet any of these criteria, you should get tested without delay.
But, as a City, we want to go further than that. We know that the virus is spreading among people who don’t have symptoms and among people who don’t know they’ve been exposed. So we want you to be proactive. If you are leaving your house for any reason, you could be exposed. So I am encouraging you to get tested and make it a regular part of your routine.
For that reason, we created mobile testing sites that test anyone for free, regardless of criteria. Right now, our two mobile units are in Central Square in East Boston, and Nubian Square in Roxbury. They are free and open to all. For other sites, at community health centers, you should call ahead and find out what’s available. If you have not been tested before, I encourage you to get tested as soon as possible.
Personally, I get tested regularly. It’s quick, and it doesn’t hurt. And it’s an opportunity to arm yourself with knowledge and be part of our community’s defense against this virus.
If you get tested at one of our mobile sites, we’re soon going to have stickers that look like this, so you can help raise awareness and show there is no stigma to getting tested.
We also recognize that many people need to work outside the home, and work hours can make it harder to find time to get tested. So, we’re asking employers to support this push for testing as well by making it easy for your workers to get tested.
Today, we are launching a tool to help you do that. It’s called the “Get the Test, Boston” Pledge. It’s a commitment that employers and individuals can make, to get tested and support testing access.
We are taking the Testing Pledge in the City of Boston and our related agencies. We will be offering eligible City employees one paid hour every 14 days to get tested during work hours. Employees will receive regular compensation for their time spent testing, and will not be required to use sick or personal time for that hour.
Other employers can fulfill the Pledge in ways that work for them and their industry. All you have to do is encourage your employees to get tested and provide them with information about how and where to get tested. You can also consider giving your employees paid time off, or other forms of flexibility, to get tested during work hours.
I’m asking every employer in our city to take this pledge, and individuals can take it as well. So far, we have more than 20 employers signed on. They include the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics; Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, and the Benjamin Franklin Institute; MassChallenge, Rapid 7, and Wayfair; Stop and Shop; and the Local 26 UNITE HERE hotel workers union.
I want to thank all of them and ask others to join in. It keeps your workforce healthy and productive, it prevents an outbreak that could hurt business, and it’s a way to help our city avoid having to roll back reopening.
The bottom line is: we are entering a critical time in this pandemic. The numbers have gone up, but they don’t have to keep going up. We have the ability to make a difference now. If we are vigilant and follow all the guidelines, if we avoid gatherings, especially parties, and if we all make a commitment to getting tested — we can stop this increase from becoming a surge. We can save lives. And we can continue to recover together, as a city.
As we increase our vigilance, we also remain committed to supporting you through whatever challenges this fall and winter bring.
For older Bostonians: We’re asking you to take the precautions that keep you safe by staying home as much as possible. And we have resources to help you do that. We can get you access to food and medication deliveries, and also care and connection to help overcome loneliness. That’s a problem heightened by the pandemic.
We also help seniors pay for home repairs. Our Seniors Save program has 80 projects underway. If you are a senior with any concerns at all, please call 311 to talk to our Age Strong Commission. They are here to help you.
For anyone struggling with housing: The Rental Relief Fund is open again, with $5 million available to help pay rent. If you are a tenant who needs rental relief or a landlord who wants to learn more, visit boston.gov/HousingStability. And if you are a homeowner concerned about paying your mortgage, reach out to your lender as soon as possible to find out what flexibility they offer. You can also check in with the Boston Home Center. They have programs you may be eligible for. We need to keep everyone safely housed as winter approaches and this pandemic continues.
For small businesses: We remain dedicated to helping you make it through this difficult time. So far, we’ve distributed over $9 million in relief and reopening funds, and we still have grants available. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to our Small Business office by emailing SmallBiz@boston.gov.
I also want to thank a larger company that stepped up to help small businesses in our city. SimpliSafe is a national leader in security, based right here in downtown Boston. SimpliSafe worked with us to donate 250 security systems and 12 months of professional monitoring for small businesses in the City of Boston. I want to thank SimpliSafe for their help. And I encourage everyone to support our small businesses however you can.
For our most vulnerable residents: We continue the work of the Boston Resiliency Fund. This week we invested in community organizations that are caring for neighbors in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, the South End, Chinatown, and Charlestown. The work includes a free COVID-19 testing site in Grove Hall at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge on Washington Street; the work of churches in the Black Ministerial Alliance to provide food and basic needs to seniors and families in the community; and the work of the Asian American Civic Association to help seniors and the disabled.
In total now, we have brought $28.4 million into our communities.
I want to thank once again all the nonprofits doing this selfless work, and everyone who has donated to the Resiliency Fund. We will continue to be there for our most vulnerable neighbors for as long as it takes.
I want to close by talking about the election. This is a historic election and there is tremendous interest in voting early and voting safely. We are committed to making sure voting is safe and accessible. I know there was concern about the incident in Copley Square on Sunday. I want to thank the Boston Fire Department, Boston Police Department, and our Elections Department for their quick response, as well as our state and federal partners. I want to assure voters that we do not see any ongoing threat to our voting system, and we are doing whatever it takes to protect your safe access to the ballot box.
So far, between mail-in voting and in-person voting, the early turnout is record-setting. As of yesterday, more than 138,000 Bostonians have cast their ballot. That’s over 32% of registered voters. By comparison, in 2016 we had 277,000 votes cast, for a turnout of 67% for the entire general election.
I want to thank our Elections Department and all the workers and volunteers. They are working hard and doing a great job. And I encourage everyone: whatever method you use, make a plan now, and vote as soon as possible. Early, in-person voting continues through tomorrow. Our 17 drop boxes will be available to deposit your mail-in ballot through 8:00 p.m. on November 3.
Keep in mind, per state directive, on Halloween, dropboxes will be emptied and locked from 5:00 p.m. Saturday until Sunday morning, due to security concerns. So, if you plan to use a dropbox this weekend, do it on Saturday morning or Sunday.
If you put your ballot in the mail, it must be postmarked by November 3 and arrive at the Election Department by November 6. For in-person voting, every site is COVID-safe. And every site is wheelchair accessible, with an AutoMark machine for those with low vision or limited dexterity. For more information, visit boston.gov/elections, or call 311 if you have any questions or concerns.
Finally, I know that many are experiencing anxiety around this election, and it’s heightened by the pandemic and everything that’s at stake. I encourage you to take care of your mental health. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone or ask for help. You can reach out to a health provider or trusted community organization. You can call 311 and we’ll connect you to resources. And I encourage everyone worried about national events to look to the unity and the compassion we have here in Boston. Whoever you are, whatever your identity, whatever your struggles — we respect you, we support you, and we will continue to support you. As a city, we are doing what we need to do. We will keep doing the right thing, we will keep moving forward, and we will keep being here for each other, no matter what.
