Dear all,
I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.
As of today, there are 1,080 Cambridge residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 97 residents have passed away. Learn more here. There are 107,439 cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 23,647 in Middlesex County. 782,854 patients have been tested, and 7,890 have passed away. Learn more here.
Town Hall
Tomorrow at 4PM I will be holding a town hall on children’s behavioral health. I’ll be joined by Mary McGeown, Executive Director of Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Alice Cohen, Lead Teacher for Social Emotional Learning for Cambridge Public Schools, and Dr. Meredith Gansner, a psychiatrist who works in inpatient child/adolescent services and conducts research on how youth use and are affected by the Internet and social media. Many parents are attempting to deal with screen time, boredom, and anxiety through the pandemic. Please send any questions you have on this topic to me via email at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov or submit them in the Q&A chat during the town hall.
You can sign up for the Zoom here or join by watching CCTV channel 9 or Facebook Live.
Thanks to CCTV, you can find recordings of the weekly town halls I have been holding on COVID-19 related issues here.
Cambridge Updates
Following my town hall, join me at 6PM for a Zoom panel hosted by the NAACP of Cambridge “Criminal Justice and Race: Cambridge and Beyond.....” I will be speaking alongside fellow panelists Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville Bard.
The City has announced street changes to increase outdoor dining options. Outdoor dining areas will be created in Central Square, Harvard Square, and Inman Square.
Last night, the Cambridge City Council approved an allocation of $1,000,000 from the CPA Fund Balance to the Community Preservation Act Fund COVID-19 Housing Stabilization Program. This will help to assist Cambridge residents who are at risk of losing their home.
The Council on Aging is offering a virtual art exhibit with work that senior artists created during virtual programming during the Stay at Home Advisory.
Where to get tested:
Cambridge residents age 8 or older can get tested at the CHA East Cambridge Center free of charge regardless of insurance or immigration status. The final day of COVID testing at this location will be this Friday, 6/26. To schedule an appointment, call 617-665-2928.
Translation Resources Available:
Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City’s multilingual help page.
State Action Updates
African American blood donors are needed to help patients battling sickle cell disease. Since mid-March, the number of African Americans donating blood with the Red Cross has dropped by more than half. If you are healthy and feeling well, you can make an appointment to donate blood online or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
Governor Baker Press Conference Updates:
Today, Governor Baker announced that out of the 17,000+ people who received free COVID-19 testing after attending racial justice protests, there was a 2.5% rate of infection.
Governor Baker also announced that there will be a sales tax holiday this year on August 29th and 30th.
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