Dear all,
I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.
As of today, there are 1273 Cambridge residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 99 residents have passed away. Learn more here. There are 116,421 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. 1,581,978 patients have been tested, and 8,717 have passed away. Learn more here.
Cambridge Updates
The Cambridge School Committee will hold a Subcommittee meeting to discuss supporting our children’s mental health this school year tomorrow, 8/25 from 5-6:30PM. I will be speaking at this meeting on what Cambridge Public Schools can do in interest of children's behavioral health. You can find the meeting livestream and sign up to provide public comment here.
The City of Cambridge has instituted two new initiatives: Pick it Up Cambridge, which encourages people who are ordering food from restaurants to call directly and pick it up if they are able as it can save restaurants as much as 25% per order, and an initiative focused on providing more space for outdoor dining to help support economic recovery.
You can now find data on the City’s COVID-19 Data Center on how COVID-19 cases in Cambridge compare to the US, Massachusetts, and Middlesex County and the Percentage of Positive COVID-19 Tests Among Cambridge Residents by Week.
There will be protests outside of the Whole Foods Alewife store to support Whole Foods workers’ rights to wear Black Lives Matter masks on Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30-6:30, and Sunday, 4:30-6:00.
Where to Get Tested
The Cambridge Public Health Department has expanded August dates and locations for free mobile testing for Cambridge residents:
- Field House at Russell Field (Rindge Ave) will offer testing Wednesday 8/26 from 10AM - 6PM
- The Pisani Center (131 Washington St) will offer testing on Saturday, 8/29 from 11AM - 7PM
- King Open School (850 Cambridge Street), will offer testing on Tuesday, August 25; Thursday, August 26; and Friday, August 27 from 10AM - 6PM
To schedule an appointment, call 617-665-3795 or sign-up online.
If you are feeling symptomatic and feel the need to get tested sooner, you can call your primary care provider to make an appointment to be tested.
Translation Resources Available
Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City's multilingual help page.
State Action Updates
The State’s application to receive grant funding, to pay an additional weekly unemployment benefit to claimants under the federal Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This means that the state will receive 3 weeks of federal FEMA funds to pay additional $300 unemployment benefits.
Governor Baker Press Conference Updates:
Governor Baker did not hold a press conference today.
Where to Give
On Fridays throughout August, Cambridge CoHousing will be collecting food for the Chelsea Food Collaborative. Drop off is between 9 AM to 3:30PM at 175 Richdale Ave, the entrance to CoHousing, either in a paper bag or small box. If you don't see someone at the moment you come, please leave it just inside the gate where we will have boxes marked “For Chelsea.”
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
Union of Minority Neighborhoods
As always, do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie