Dear all,
I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.
As of today, there are 1094 Cambridge residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 97 residents have passed away. Learn more here. There are 108,768 cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 23,946 in Middlesex County. 837,147 patients have been tested, and 8,095 have passed away. Learn more here.
Town Hall
This Wednesday, July 1st, I will be holding my 14th and final COVID-19 town hall for the time being. Some of you may have joined me over the years when I’ve invited the community to come together with our community leaders for a communal reading of the Declaration of Independence and Frederick Douglass’s Speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” This year, while we will not gather together in person, please join us as we gather virtually to share a collective reading of a historical document that has defined the idea of what this country espoused to be and is a sobering reminder of how short we continue to fall. The collective power of gathering as a community, facing our history and being accountable for our failures can also be an opportunity that empowers us to reflect and take action, change laws, vote on budgets and become the country, state and city that moves beyond words and evolves. You can sign up to join Zoom here or watch the town hall on CCTV Channel 9 or Facebook Live.
I would like to thank everyone who has joined us over the last 14 weeks for my weekly town halls. Thanks to CCTV, you can find recordings of all previous town halls here. I am taking a brief hiatus to give myself and my team more bandwidth to focus on the state budget and pending legislation, as we still are trying to navigate what the end of the legislative session holds in store for us. You can continue to count on my daily COVID-19 newsletters Monday through Friday, and if there are pressing and immediate updates that arise over the weekend, I will do my best to communicate with you in real time.
Later this summer, I will host a town meeting that focuses on the reopening of schools. As you may have read, Massachusetts is one of four states that has managed to slow the spread and contain COVID-19. As the state continues to reopen, we risk that another wave could hit us in the near future. We are in this for the long haul. Our best defenses against the virus can be forgotten as life begins to look familiar. I ask that you please keep up the hard work wearing masks, reducing gatherings, and maintaining social distance and good hygiene. We may have to rethink what reopens if we really want to prioritize reopening schools. Following public health protocols and best practices is how we save lives, and as protocols relax in some places, we can still choose to follow the most effective practices to stop the spread of the virus. I know that my family and I are going to continue to keep our visits small, wear masks, and maintain our social distance.
Cambridge Updates
The City amended its emergency face covering order for the summer months to allow for the temporary removal of face coverings when outdoors when a physical distance of at least six (6) feet from others can be maintained at all times and to allow for the removal of masks for dining at food establishments in the city, including outdoor dining.
The City has amended its temporary emergency construction order. This temporary emergency order was originally issued on April 2nd and amended on May 1st.
Where to get tested:
During the month of July, the Cambridge Public Health Department will offer free mobile testing for all Cambridge residents in North Cambridge, The Port, East Cambridge, and Harvard Square one day each week during designated hours:
North Cambridge - Wednesdays, 11AM-3PM, Jefferson Park clinic at 266-B Rindge Avenue
Harvard Square - Wednesdays, 4PM-6PM, First Church Cambridge at 11 Garden Street
East Cambridge - Thursdays, 12PM-4PM, Millers Rivers Apartment at 661 Cambridge Street
The Port - Thursdays, 5PM-8PM, Pisani Center at 131 Washington Street
Testing will be done by appointment only. You can schedule an appointment online or by calling 617-665-3795.
Translation Resources Available:
Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City’s multilingual help page.
State Action Updates
MassDevelopment has opened up applications for the Collaborative Workspace Program, which provides grants of up to $100,000 to established coworking spaces for new equipment or building improvements, including adjustments to help spaces adhere to COVID-19 social distancing and health and safety standards.
Governor Baker Press Conference Updates:
Governor Baker did not hold a press conference today.
Federal Action Updates
The last day to get approved for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program is tomorrow, June 30th. To apply, you should find a participating lender.
Where to Give
If you are able to give to others during this time, I encourage you to look to the following places that are working to help those most affected by COVID-19:
Cambridge Community Foundation
Cradles to Crayons Emergency Essentials Fund
Enroot Emergency Immigrant Cash Assistance Fund
I also encourage you to donate to the following organizations that are engaging in racial justice work:
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Families for Justice as Healing
As always, do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie