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Corona Virus Update – 3/25/2020

By March 30, 2020Covid 19 Update

Corona Virus Update
March 25, 2020
Department of Public Health Stay at Home Advisory

 The emergency order requiring all non-essential businesses to close their physical workplaces and facilities to all workers, customers and the public went into effect 3/24/2020 at noon.
 At the Governor’s direction, the Department of Public Health issued a stay at home advisory which outlined self-isolation and social distancing protocols.
 DPH strongly advises residents who are 70 years and older, and those with underlying health conditions, to stay-at-home except for essential trips for food, medicine, and focused time for exercise and fresh air.
 It also advises all residents to stay home as much as they can and avoid unnecessary activities for the next two weeks.
 The advisory urges residents to continue practicing social distancing and safe hygiene practices throughout their daily activities.

Department of Transitional Assistance
 DTA launched a new online application portal, https://dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.gov/, to assist residents in applying for Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC)

Key Public Health Messages for All Residents
 Avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities.
 Protect yourself by following public health advice about keeping your hands clean and covering coughs and sneezes.
 Stay home if you are sick. If you need to consult a health care provider, call ahead first or use telehealth services.
 Protect others who are most at risk of COVID-19 by keeping your distance from people (at least 6 feet away from others), especially those who are older, and people living with chronic health conditions.
 If you are outside, avoid crowds.
 Don’t shake hands or hug.
 Stay connected to friends and loved ones by phone or through other technology.
 Get information from trusted sources. Visit https://www.mass.gov/covid19 for the latest news, case counts, and lab testing results.
 Take care of your emotional health and help others do the same. If you need emotional support during these stressful times:
 Call 2-1-1 and choose the “CALL2TALK” option.
 Samaritans is continuing operations 24/7, as always. During this unprecedented time, it can feel overwhelming to receive constant messages about COVID-19. Call or text their 24/7 helpline any time at 877-870-4673.
 The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including disease outbreaks like COVID-19. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories.

Sign Up For New COVID-19 Text Notification System

 The Baker-Polito Administration announced the launch of a new text-based notification system to deliver important information about the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response to Massachusetts residents.
 The new messaging tool called “AlertsMA” will allow residents to subscribe to real-time notifications by texting the keyword COVIDMA to 888-777.

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