Dear all,
I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.
As of today, 1345 Cambridge residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and 99 residents have passed away, according to the state’s database. Learn more here. There have been 123,720 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, and there are 295 newly reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state today. 1,996,662 patients have been tested, and 9,036 have passed away. Learn more here.
This Monday 9/21 at 5PM I’ll be participating in a panel hosted by the Museum of Science and GBH: Children’s Mental Health: How Science Informs Policy. I’ll be joined by Mathieu Bermingham, MD, Metro West Center for Well Being, and Medical Director of Children’s Services of Roxbury; and Dr. Philip Wang, MD, PhD., Chief of Psychiatry for the Cambridge Health Alliance. You can register for the virtual event here and learn more on the event’s Facebook page.
State Action Updates
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is conducting a survey for parents and caregivers on education and child care during COVID. You can fill out the survey in English orSpanish. The survey closes at 11:59PM tonight, 9/16.
Yesterday, Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced an extension of administrative tax relief for local businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19. This includes the extension of the deferral of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes for small businesses due from March 2020 through April 2021, so that they will instead be due in May 2021, as well as relief for sales and meals taxes and room occupancy taxes for certain businesses.
Governor Baker Press Conference Updates:
Governor Baker did not hold a press conference today.
Cambridge Updates
As a reminder, the City of Cambridge’s 7th Participatory Budgeting cycle is now underway. Ideas for how to allocate $500,000 on capital projects to improve the community will be accepted until September 30th. This year’s process will be abbreviated and will use contactless methods for idea collection due to COVID-19. You can submit your ideas online, via email topb@cambridgema.gov, by calling 617-349-4270, or by mail to City of Cambridge Budget Office 795 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139. You can also volunteer as a Budget Delegate to research project ideas submitted by community members and determine which ones will make it to the ballot for the PB vote.
Where to Get Tested
Currently, all appointments for the City of Cambridge’s free mobile testing at the Field House at Russell Field on 9/16 and the Pisani Center on 9/19. Once new appointments are available, they will be posted on the City’s website and announced in the City’s daily email update.
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.
Where to Give
On Fridays, Cambridge CoHousing will be collecting food for theChelsea 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
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