Dear all,
I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.
As of today, there are 11186 Cambridge residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 99 residents have passed away. Learn more here. There are 109,400 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 25,617 in Middlesex County. 1,161,454 patients have been tested, and 8,375 have passed away. Learn more here.
Cambridge Updates
The City of Cambridge has amended its temporary emergency restrictions on public meetings and events. All City-sponsored community events, athletic events, events permitted for the use of City parks, or other City-sponsored public gatherings will be cancelled through September 7, 2020, or postponed to a later date, and prior approvals for events or gatherings are revoked.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation has opened Magazine Beach Shoreline Path and Patio Area after a multiphase improvement project through a public-private partnership among the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the City of Cambridge, and the Magazine Beach Partners.
Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, Everett, and Somerville, announced the availability of free Bluebikes passes to essential workers employed at grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and local retail shops. These passes are good for 90 days and riders can take unlimited trips up to 60 minutes each.
The City is providing printed guidebooks to the city’s 80+ parks and playgrounds. You can also find the guidebook online here.
Where to get tested:
During the month of July, the Cambridge Public Health Department is offering free mobile testing for all Cambridge residents in North Cambridge, The Port, East Cambridge, and Harvard Square one day each week during designated hours. Currently, all appointments for the month of July at these sites have been booked. Testing will be available at the Pisani Center on Saturday 8/1 from 11AM-7PM to help meet the demand of the waitlist. You can schedule an appointment online or by calling 617-665-3795.
The Cambridge Public Health Department announced that testing will be extended into August due to overwhelming demand. More details on this extended testing will be coming soon.
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.
State Action Updates
The House of Representatives is in session today deliberating climate change legislation, H.4912 An Act creating a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth.
The Legislature and the Governor’s administration have committed to keeping local aid and school aid at last year’s levels for FY21 and providing an additional $107 million in school aid to cover inflation and enrollment factors.
As a reminder, state residents have reported receiving unsolicited packages appearing to have originated in a foreign country that contain seeds. All 50 states have now issued warnings about these unsolicited packages of seeds. If you receive an unsolicited package of seeds, you should not plant them, and you should report your receipt of them on this Mass. Department of Agricultural Resourcesonline form.
Governor Baker Press Conference Updates:
Today, Governor Baker held a press conference at Pfizer facilities in Andover. He announced that his administration is reviewing the state’s guidance on gathering sizes. The state’s current guidance instructs a limit of 25 people at indoor gatherings and 100 people at outdoor gatherings, depending on the size of the venue. Yesterday, Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island announced that her state is lowering the limit on social gatherings there to 15 people, down from 25.
Where to Give
Tomorrow, Cambridge CoHousing will be collecting food to go to Chelsea on Saturday. Collections will continue on Fridays throughout August. Drop off is between 10 AM to 4PM 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"
WHAT IS MOST NEEDED:
bags of rice
pasta
dried beans
cereal (none sweetened)
tuna
canned soups
canned tomatoes and tomato sauce
diapers and wipes
pet food
Please no fresh foods -- those are supplied by a generous food producer
Also, no desserts, high sugar foods, or chips. THANK YOU!
Here is the LINK to the Chelsea Food Collaborative which this effort is supporting. Another option is to make a financial donation, via link at top of page. Please email Anne Tonachel atannert@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to make a drop off at a different time.
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 atMarjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie