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Home My WebLink About2020-10-22 Board of Health Minutes North Andover Board of Health Meeting Minutes Thursday—October 22,2020 7:00 p.m. VIRTUAL MEETING Live broadcast can be heard on www.northandovercam.org Present: Joseph McCarthy,Dr.Patrick Scanlon,Michelle Davis, Daphne Alva-LaFleur,Dr.Max Tilson, Brian LaGrasse,Stephen Casey Jr,and Toni K.Wolfenden. I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting called to order at 7:05 pm. Chairman Joseph McCarthy read the following statement: Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12,2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law,G.L.c.30A, Section 18,and the Governor's March 15,2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place,this meeting of the North Andover Board of Health will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Specific information and the general guidelines for remote participation by members of the public and/or parties with a right and/or requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the Town's website,at www.northandovenna.gov. For this meeting, members of the public who wish to watch the meeting may do so on their televisions by tuning to Comcast Channel 8 or Verizon Channel 26 or online at www.northandovercam.org. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted,but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time,via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so,despite best efforts,we will post on the Town of North Andover website an audio or video recording, transcript,or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting. If the public would like to participate in public hearings please email your question/comment prior to or during the meeting to blatirassena,northandoverma.gov The question/comment will be read during the proceedings and responded to accordingly. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Meeting Minutes from September 24,2020 presented for signature. Motion made by Michelle Davis to approve the minutes,motion seconded by Patrick Scanlon,all in favor and minutes approved.(5-0-0) III. NEW BUSINESS A. Introduce—New Hires Three new hires: Judith Sullivan is the new part-time Temporary Public Health Nurse assisting Caroline Ibbitson with flu vaccines,and flu clinics. Kim Cameron is the new part-time Temporary Nurse assisting Caroline Ibbitson 2020 North Andover Board of Health Meeting Page 1 of 4 Board of Health Members:Joseph McCarthy,Chairman;Michelle Davis,RN,Clerk/Member;Daphnee Alva-LaFleur,Member; Dr.Patrick Scanlon,DO,Town Physician/Member;Max Tilson MD,Member Health Department Staff:Brian LaGrasse,Health Director;Stephen Casey Jr.,Health Inspector;Caroline Ibbitson,Public Health Nurse;Toni K.Wolfenden,Health Department Assistant with MAVEN,which is the epidemiological software,and assisting with Merrimack College. Kelechi Obika is a part-time Temporary Health Inspector assisting Stephen Casey with COVIDI9 complaints. There is discussion about hiring more to assist with the workload directly related to the pandemic. All temporary part-time help has been scheduled for a minimum of 16 weeks each. The new positions are funded by the Cares Act Funding,which expires on December 31,2020. IV. DISCUSSION A. COVIDI9—Update Brian LaGrasse,begins the COVIDI9 update with explaining that there has been an uptick in cases. Currently,there are 39 total active cases, 13 are attributed to Merrimack College with 26 in the public. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 986 new cases out of 18,000 tests today and 646 new cases out of 12,722 tests on October 21,2020. The state has been sitting roughly at about a 1.3 positivity rate,which is slightly up from last month,which was a 1.1. Hospitalizations have snuck up with 369 for the September 24,2020 meeting to currently,591. It is still lower than the peak numbers back in April,2020. Merrimack College had a small cluster at one of the dormitories. The positive students been isolated,all students have been retested,quarantined and began remote learning. Sports,the increase in gatherings outside of schools, the increase indoor activities have attributed to clusters of COVIDI9. It is important to continue to be vigilant. Please see the public service announcement through CAMM with Town Manager,Melissa Murphy Rodriguez,to reiterate vigilance during these times,which will discuss the closure of the high school and beginning the remote learning model for two weeks.This was a very difficult decision. The town has seen an increase in close contacts. People have become more complacent. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is currently in Phase 3,Step 1. The"Stop the Spread"testing sites has been extended through December 31,2020. The North Andover Drive Thru Flu Clinic is Sunday October 25,2020,which is being held at the North Andover High School,from 10am-2pm. Brian LaGrasse has drafted a Mandatory Participation in Infectious Disease Isolation,Quarantine and Contact Tracing Regulation. Brian requests the Board to review and adopt at a Special Public Hearing within the next week. According to The Boston Globe,2.56 million people in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,which is almost 50%of the residents. There have been 5.3 million tests total. The mortality rate is approaching 10,000. The state mapping changed to show an asterisk if towns and cities have correctional facility,institution of higher education, long-term care facilities,if it has a cluster that accounts for over 30%of the active cases. North Andover is red on the map with an asterisk that lets people know that there is a cluster attributed to one location,which is contributing to a significant portion of the COVIDI9 numbers. Brian LaGrasse received updated guidance from the state regarding the Operation of Indoor Ice Rinks,Indoor Skating and Hockey Facilities. Many of the COVIDI9 outbreaks have been attributed to sports. Hockey has been a concern. North Andover has quarantined four hockey teams over the past couple of weeks. It has been a problem throughout the entire state. As of today,a ban has been released on hockey and skating rinks beginning October 23,2020 ending 12:0lam on November 7,2020. There have been 108 confirmed positive cases confirmed among 23 different hockey teams in a single month,225 exposed contacts,at least one hockey associated case of COVIDI9 in 66 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The rinks have caused issues across the Commonwealth. Ice rinks are located at Brooks School,Merrimack College and Micro Ice. Stephen Casey—Mask Complaints and complaints related to COVIDI9 have been low the past month. Recently,there has been an uptick. Most complaints revolve around restaurant employees or the restaurant itself. Stephen's workload has been more"normal"with housing inspections,and septic inspections. There have been new plan review guides submitted for new food establishments. There have been trash complaints,and housing complaints in addition to the"normal"COVIDI9 issues. Stephen participated in a Zoom Call early October with Megan Baldwin,Sweet Safe,and some of the local restaurants to review Indoor Dining Guidance. This was to assist with any questions or concerns. Unfortunately,Howling Wolf will be closing however,a new restaurant called Pita Thyme will be moving into the location. Stephen assisted with various flu clinics. Stephen continues to provide clarification and any information in reference to COVIDI9 received from the public,restaurants,businesses and other municipalities. Halloween is coming. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health provided some guidance for trick or treat. The Commonwealth requests keeping festivities outdoors,stick to precautions,do not be complacent,wear masks,social distance,frequent hand washing and hygiene,and avoid touching face. Stay home if you are sick. If possible,use a"one way"trick or treating and"grab-and-go"candy distribution. If possible leave hand sanitizer out for trick-or-treaters or parents should bring with them and use frequently. The CDC is requesting lower risk activities if possible,which would include carving and decorating pumpkins with family,virtual costume contests with friends,Halloween movie nights,avoid North Andover Board of Health Meeting Minutes Thursday—October 22, 2020 7:00 p.m. VIRTUAL MEETING Live broadcast can be heard on www.northandovercam.org crowded parties or events indoors and events that exceed the indoor and outdoor gathering guidance and avoid participating in activities if you feel unwell or sick. Dr.Patrick Scanlon—Over the last month,the New Hampshire hospital Patrick is employed with has seen an uptick,however the severity of illness has dropped significantly. The ICU has not seen any COVIDI9 patients in the last month but there have been a fair amount admitted to the hospital. Recent studies show a trend towards less severe illness over the last few months. At this time,no treatment has been changing the severity or the course of the disease. The FDA approved Remdesivir today,however,it has been being used over the last 6 months. Remdesivir has not shown to decrease of mortality with COVID19,it has been shown to decrease the symptoms. A World Health Organization(WHO)study showed about 11,000 patients treated with the drug had no mortality change but several studies sponsored by Gilead Science Inc. and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases showed decreased symptoms. Remdesivir used with steroids are the only thing that has shown to decrease symptoms which trend towards decreasing mortality overall. Symptoms can be very broad. If one shows any type of symptom,get tested. Patrick recommends flu shots. Dr.Max Tilson—Max works at two of the local community hospitals in Lowell and Lawrence. He also has seen an uptick in the number of cases. Max has seen cases in the ICU in both hospitals who have COVIDI9. The demographics of people getting COVIDI9 are unchanged. Being older and having other associated diseases like diabetes and being overweight or obese can cause patients to have a more difficulties. Residents are invested in the town,the best way to demonstrate town pride is to do what is best for your whole town in which you live. Max urges residents to listen to the guidelines,and recommendations. Michelle Davis—Michelle's elementary school children continue to attend class with the Hybrid Model. It has been challenging with internet struggles but the children are adjusting. Michelle is incredibly impressed with the town's commitment to the food and nutrition program. Breakfast and lunch is available for pick up at the high school for all students regardless of if the child is hybrid or online learning. No questions asked,and free of charge. Daphne Alva-LeFluer—Daphnee has focused on providing food to the needy citizens of North Andover. Fresh produce,milk,eggs,oranges,and meats were recently obtained for the senior center food bank. These are being provided weekly until further notice. Joseph McCarthy—Pfizer has begun a late stage clinical trial for a COVIDI9 vaccine and plans to seek emergency use authorization in late November. Dr.Patrick Scanlon reassures that the process is not being 2020 North Andover Board of Health Meeting Page 3 of 4 Board of Health Members:Joseph McCarthy,Chairman;Michelle Davis,RN,Clerk/Member;Daphnee Alva-LaFleur,Member; Dr.Patrick Scanlon,DO,Town Physician/Member;Max Tilson MD,Member Health Department Staff:Brian LaGrasse,Health Director;Stephen Casey Jr.,Health Inspector;Caroline Ibbitson,Public Health Nurse;Toni K.Wolfenden,Health Department Assistant rushed. There are specific scientific reasons why a vaccine was able to come to trial so quickly. Pfizer was able to isolate the virus rather quickly. The vaccine is safe. There is an article in the Boston Globe on suicide prevention. A new federal law that has designated 988 as the national phone number for mental health emergencies. This will take effect in July,2022. Currently,the number is 1-800-273-TALK. The Health Department continues to deal with daily activities including but not limited to,mosquito control, septic permitting,and tobacco control. The high dose flu vaccine is available at the Drive-Thru Flu Clinic. V. ADJOURNMENT MOTION made by Dr.Max Tilson to adjourn the meeting. Michelle Davis seconded the motion and all were in favor.The meeting adjourned at 8:04 pm.(5-0-0) Prepared by: Toni K Wolfenden, Health Dept.Assistant Reviewed bv: All Board of Health Members&Brian LaGrasse,Health Director Si ng ed by: Approved at Virtual Meeting 12.17.2020 Michelle Davis, Clerk of the Board Date Signed Documents Used At Meeting: Agenda Covid19 Dashboard—Thursday October 22,2020 Draft-Mandatory Participation in Infectious Disease Isolation,Quarantine and Contact Tracing North Andover Board of Health Meeting Agenda Thursday, October 22, 2020 7:00 p.m. VIRTUAL MEETING Live broadcast can be heard on www.northanodverma.gov I. CALL TO ORDER 11. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. September 24,2020 III. NEW BUSINESS A. Introduce-New Hires IV. DISCUSSION A. Covid19- Updates V. ADJOURNMENT Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, Section 18, and the Governor's March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the North Andover Board of Health will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Specific information and the general guidelines for remote participation by members of the public and/or parties with a right and/or requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the Town's website, at www.northandoverma.gov. For this meeting, members of the public who wish to watch the meeting may do so on their televisions by tuning to Comcast Channel 8 or Verizon Channel 26 or online at www.northandovercam.org. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best efforts, we will post on the Town of North Andover website an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting. If the public would like to participate in public hearings please email your question/comment prior to or during the meeting to blagrasseCaD_northandoverma.gov The question/comment will be read during the proceedings and responded to accordingly. 2020 North Andover Board of Health Meeting-Meeting Agenda Page I of I Note: The Board of Health reserves the right to take items out of order and to discuss and/or vote on items that are not listed on the agenda. Board of Health Members: Joseph McCarthy,Chairman;Michelle Davis,RN,Clerk/Member;Daphnee Alva-LaFleur,Member; Patrick Scanlon,D.O.,Town Physician/Member;Dr.Max Tilson Member Health Department Staff:Brian LaGrasse,Health Director;Stephen Casey Jr.,Health Inspector; Caroline Ibbitson,Public Health Nurse;Toni K.Wolfenden,Health Department Assistant Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Dashboard of Public Health Indicators v� Newly Reported Total Confirmed Newly Reported Total Deaths Confirmed Cases Cases Deaths among among Confirmed Today • • Today 927• • ' • •• • New Individuals Total IndividualsBelow is the current status: Tested by - • by Molecular Tests MolecularMeasure Status —170966 2r580021 3 COVID-19 positive test rate Number of individuals who died from COVID-19 Total MolecularLegend Number of patients with COVID-19 in hospitals Tests • Positive trend Healthcare system readiness Administered In progress Testing capacity • Negative trend • • Contact tracing capabilities he front page of the dashboard has been reformatted.Antibody tests (individual and total numbers) can be found on page 18. Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 V Dashboard of Public Health Indicators PercentLowest Observed (LOV) ° Lowest Observed Value (LOV) 7 Da Weighted 1.4% 1.2°l0 2% 1.2% � y g 1.2% l.lo� 1.1% L1% 1.1% 1.1% L2% L1°!o 1.1% 1.1% 1, 0 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.34'o v ' Average of Positive 1.2% 1.3% 1.3/o t Molecular Test Rate* 1.0% 0.8% 0.9% 0' 0.9,0 10/° l ho 11% y ¢d 0.6% 0.8% 22 23 24 25: 26 27 28 -29 30 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11. 12 .13 14 1S 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October LOV=0,8% 3 Day Average of ow Vumber of COVID- Soo 468 49a 49s soo 499 Soo 19 Patients in 423 433 439 432 42S `4 SOS S14 S14 S09 SOS 505 505 505 494 512 519 t ' HosIppiItal** 400 366 369 37S 373 384 393 424 L� 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 .� September October LOV =3 0 2 Number of 40 5 6 6 Hospitals using 3 3 4 S 5 4 �2� 3 4 Surge Capacity 2 2 2 2 z 2 2 2 20 1 1 1 j 2 2 2 2 0 -- 0 22 23 24 2S 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 0 — September October LOV= 3 Day Average of 21 COVID-19 20 17 17 18 19 /� 19 18 Deaths*** 16 14 15 14 �1416 19 181612 12 15 1S14 13 101011 10 14 22 23 24 2S 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 111 September October 14 LOV= 9 dculated from total molecular tests;**Includes both confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19;***Includes deaths in only confirmed cases of COVID-19 te:Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data previously reported.As of 9/8/20,patients on an observatior ywith confirmed or suspected COVID are included in total COVID hospitalization figures in addition to patients who are admitted.This update will create consistency in reporting and provide a more complete picture of total COVID spitalizations.Most hospitals were already including observation status patients in their reporting,so this update is not expected to have a significant impact on dailytrends.LOV=Lowest observed value,i.e.the lowest value the public heaW icator has been since tracking started. 2 iH O!y4y Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Lz Table of Contents lossaryof Terms..........................................................................................................................................................................Page 4 aily and Cumulative Confirmed Cases...................................................................................................................................Page 5 sting by Date - Molecular (Individuals)................................................................................................................................Page 6 sting by Date - Molecular (Total Tests Conducted)..........................................................................................................Page 7 ?sting by Date - Molecular (Percent Positive).....................................................................................................................Page 8 aily and Cumulative COVID-19 Hospitalizations................................................................................................................Page 9 ew Daily COVID-19 Hospital Admissions...........................................................................................................................Page 10 aily and Cumulative COVID-19 ICU and Intubations.......................................................................................................Page 11 ailyand Cumulative Deaths..................................................................................................................................................Page 12 ailyand Cumulative County Data........................................................................................................................................Page 13 eaths by Sex, Previous Hospitalization, & Underlying Conditions...............................................................................Page 14 ases, Hospitalizations, & Deaths by Race/Ethnicity........................................................................................................Page 15 OVID-19 Cases in Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities..........................................................................................................Page 16 ,obable Case Information......................................................................................................................................................Page 17 ?sting by Date - Antibody......................................................................................................................................................Page 18 stingby Date - Antigen.........................................................................................................................................................Page 19 DtalHospital Capacity by Region..........................................................................................................................................Page 20 OVIDPatient Census by Hospital.........................................................................................................................................Page 21 epartment of Corrections on-site Testing Program.........................................................................................................Page 24 3 rig CI M1[h�. Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 �a> L� Glossary of Terms Please Note:the following terms and definitions apply to COVID-19 only. COVID-19 Molecular Test:Also known as a PCR test.This diagnostic test identifies the presence of virus's genetic material.These tests are very accurate and a positive result means someone has current or very recent infection. COVID-19 Antigen Test:This test identifies the presence of proteins on the surface of the virus.These diagnostic tests are somewhat less accurate (i.e., low sensitivity)than molecular tests but a positive result is suggestive of current infection. COVID-19 Antibody Test:Also known as a serology test.This test identifies antibodies;antibodies are the proteins produced by the immune system to fight off an infection. Because antibodies take days to weeks to make after infection,a positive result indicates infection at some point in the past.It is not a diagnostic test. Testing by Date:This refers to the date the sample(usually nasal swab or blood)was taken. Most reports and figures in this dashboard use this date. Total Tests:This represents the total number of tests done and includes people who have had multiple tests. Persons Tested:This represents the total number of persons who had at least one test done.If a person had more than one test, they are still counted only once. Case Definition:A standard set of criteria (including symptoms, laboratory tests and exposure) used to count persons who may have COVID-19.Case definitions tell public health professionals which people with disease to count;they don't tell healthcare providers how to diagnose or treat COVID. Confirmed Case:A person is counted as a confirmed case of COVID-19 if they have a positive molecular test Probable Case:A person is counted as a probable case in three ways: 1.if they have a positive antigen test; 2.if they have COVID symptoms AND were exposed to someone with COVID; 3.if they died and their death certificate lists COVID as a cause of death. More complete information about the COVID-19 case definition may be found here: https:Hcdn maws.com/www.cste.org/resource/resmgrZpsZpositionstatement202O Interim-20-ID-02 COVID-19.pdf Suspected Hospitalized Cases: Patients without a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis but who,as determined by the hospital, have signs and symptoms compatible with COVID-19(most patients with confirmed COVID-19 have developed fever and/or symptoms of acute respiratory illness, such as cough, shortness of breath, or myalgia/fatigue). 4 (I.11AG Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 �v !r � Daily and Cumulative Confirmed Cases ,1 Lz ,.,,� Confirmed COVID- 19 Cases To Date by Date Individual Tested New Confirmed Cases •Cumulative Confirmed Cases 1000 140,000 800 600 135,000 400 .. 130,000 200 125,000 A 0 120,000 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2S 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1S 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. )te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page; Data previously shown according to date report received; data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in >orting by laboratories, counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete. 5 Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Iy' 7,' Testing by Date - Molecular (Individuals) Total Number of Individuals with at Least One Molecular Test Performed by Date *New Individuals Tested by Molecular Method *Cumulative Individuals Tested by Molecular Method 20K 2.5M 2.4M 15K 2.3M 10K 2.2M 2.1M 5K 2.OM m OK , :. tad 1.9M 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. )te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Data previously shown according to date report received; data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in )orting by laboratories, counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete.Testing by Date -Molecular(Individual) counts the number of individuals with at least one molecular test;Testing by Date- Molecula )tal Tests Conducted)counts the total number of molecular tests performed.This includes individuals who have had more than one molecular test. [r M1: ,'� `z Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 �c ` V Testing b Date - Molecular (Total Tests Conducted a1 `,. gy Total Number of Molecular Tests Performed by Date 100K •First Molecular Test Per Individual •Molecular Tests that are Repeated in Individuals 91,331 7,588 86,282 87,039 86,072 82,820 80K 76,789 76,856 78,292 8,253 738 4,581 74,126 75,908 , 3,512 74,905 0,559 7,744 66,955 4,257 6,34 6,07 4,482 60K 8,219 8,229 0,813 9,519 59,11 9,145 40K 36,61 22,87 6 8,647 7,984 ,422 6,53 3,32;3,70 3,056 3,36 2,89Q2,56 4,35 20K 1,44 OK 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. >te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Data previously shown according to date report received;data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in >orting by laboratories,counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete.Testing by Date-Molecular(Individual)counts the number of individuals with at least one molecular test;Testing by Date-Molecula >tal Tests Conducted)counts the total number of molecular tests performed.This includes individuals who have had more than one molecular test. 7 'W OF -#,d �,a\c�` Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Vv: V ray VN ,,1 , Testing by Date - Molecular (Percent Positive) �s O� wcent of Tests By Molecular Method that are Positive by Test Date 3ercent of Tested Individuals who are Positive •Percent of All Molecular Tests that are Positive 5% o .0% ° 49 % 4.4 4.3% 4.3% 4.0/ 4.1% 4.3% °° 4% 3.8% 9% .3% 6% 4.0% 3.590 3.5°/ 4% 3. 3.6% 3.39' 3.2% 3.5% 3.4% 3.3% 3.3% 3% 2.8% 2.7 2.4% 2.5% 2.4% 2.4% 4% 2.30 2.6% 2.2% 2.5 0� 2.1% 2.4% 2.3% 2.3% 2% 1.8 2.290 1.8% 1.6% 1. o % 1.4 1.2°k 4% 1.3% 1.0% 1.1% 1.0% 1% 0 0% 1.3% 1.3% 0.9% 0.9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.9% god 0.8°/ 1.2% 1.1% 1.0% 1.1% 1.190 1.1 .9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.79'° 0.7% ° 0.9% 0.5% 0.6/o 0% 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. >te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Data previously shown according to date report received;data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in >orting by laboratories,counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete;this graph is lagged by one day as a result. Percent of Tested Individuals who are Positive counts the number of individuals with at ist one molecular test; Percent of all Molecular Tests that are Positive counts the total number of molecular tests performed.This includes individuals who have had more than one molecular test. 8 Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 p y , = Daily and Cumulative COVID- 19 Hospitalizations ;r yKif"` Patients Reported as Hospitalized with COVID- 19 by Date •New Hospitalizations by Date •Number of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients by Date 40 42 35 400 31 � 25 24 26 3 U 22 21 21 U • '^ 20 17 16 17 17— 200 us Currently 0 Case 14 14 13 c 10 8 10 10 _ 1 1 0721 6 ' m 11 -10 -10 c Z -20 18 -15 -15 -13 H 20 -17 -200 -25 -31 -40 -35 -39 -400 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October Date to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the MDPH survey of hospitals(hospital survey data are self-reported);Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. tes:data are current as of 12:00pm on the date at the top of the page.These data include both confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases. For purposes of this reporting,"confirmed"are cases with a PCR test."Suspected"are those with nptoms who have not had a test result yet. Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data reported .viously. As of 9/8/20,patients on an observation stay with confirmed or suspected COVID are included in total COVID hospitalization figures in addition to patients who are admitted.This update will create consistency in reporting and wide a more complete picture of total COVID hospitalizations.Most hospitals were already including observation status patients in their reporting,so this update is not expected to have a significant impact on daily trends. 9 rv�_rH nr htpas C. Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 l 1 New Daily COVID- 19 Hospital Admissions Y�F tllCik Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Hospital Admissions by Day *Confirmed COVID-19 Hospital Admissions *Suspected COVID-19 Hospital Admissions zoo 150 in C 0 E Q _ n 100 .Q 0 0 2 50 0 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the MDPH survey of hospitals(hospital survey data are self-reported);Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. ites:data are current as of 12:00pm on the date at the top of the page. For purposes of this reporting, "confirmed"are cases with a PCR test. "Suspected" are those with symptoms who have not had a test result ye ispital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data reported previously. 10 �vP`T, cr h�gaaq Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 y01 Vri g,.." Daily and Cumulative COVID- 19 ICU and Intubations Patients Reported in ICU with COVID- 19 by Date *Changes in ICU Count by Date *Total Patients in ICU 20 100 14 11 12 10 8 8 _8 50 • • - Currently in ICI 3-2 -2 - 3 -10 -4 -5 -5 -4 _3 -5 -So ~ 1 _g -11 -20 -1 -15 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October Patients Reported as Intubated with COVID- 19 by Date *Changes in Intubation Count by Date *Total Patients Intubated 10 6 6 5 6 0 5 4 3 2 3 3 2 4 2 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 20 c Countof MEN MEN 0 ON M Intubated 5 3 4 4 _3 4 3 _4 5 4 20 ro • -10 -7 • 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Septem ber October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the MDPH survey of hospitals (hospital survey data are self-reported);Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. )tes:data are current as of 12:00pm on the date at the top of the page. Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result, data may not directly comparable to hospital data reported previously. 11 t� r 4yV�s Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 r 9. Daily and Cumulative Deaths VU Total Deaths* in COVID- 19 Cases by Date of Death New Confirmed Deaths *New Probable Deaths •Total Deaths n 9,800 25 9,700 9,600 20 .... • tat Deaths in U • . 9 500 M 15 0 d 9'400 io 90810 10 E 9,300 U 5 9,200 0 9,100 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 September October Date of Death to Sources: COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health )te: all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page; *Counts on the trend chart do not match total number of deaths reported, as there is a several day lag in reporting by date of death. IncludE th probable and confirmed cases. For confirmed and probable case definitions, please see the Glossary on p.4. 12 ��'tTl Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 FAR" S Daily and Cumulative County Data .� �•rr tK�4� County New Confirmed Cases Cumulative Confirmed County New Confirmed and Probable Cumulative Confirmed and Reported Today Cases To Date Deaths Reported Today Probable Deaths To Date Barnstable 11 1,922 Barnstable 1 182 Berkshire 2 744 Berkshire 0 51 Bristol 164 11,334 Bristol 2 735 Dukes 0 71 Dukes and Nantucket 0 2 Essex 150 22,596 Essex 2 1,333 Franklin 11 456 Franklin 0 72 Hampden 86 9,305 Hampden 4 804 Hampshire 10 1,430 Hampshire 0 153 Middlesex 154 30,656 Middlesex 8 2,240 Nantucket 1 138 Norfolk 3 1,097 Norfolk 62 11,336 Plymouth 5 814 Plymouth 71 10,895 Suffolk 3 1,166 Suffolk 167 26,954 Unknown 0 5 Unknown 0 312 Worcester 2 1,156 Worcester 97 15,778 Total 30 9,810 Total 986 143,927 to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health )te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Includes both probable and confirmed cases. For confirmed and probable case definitions, please see the Glossary on p.4. 13 �r�ni OF Mpy.�R Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 `„ Deaths by Sex, Previous Hospitalization, & Underlying Conditions Total Deaths by Sex- Total Deaths with a Previous Total Deaths** with Underlying Conditions Hospitalization* 93 (1.8%) 4,496(45.8%) 1,605 (16.4°//0) ra 5,310 3,063 5,142 (54.2%) (31.2%) (52.4%) Female 0 Male •Yes Unknown •No •Yes No to Sources: COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics; Demographic data on hospitalized patients collected :rospectively;analysis does not include all hospitalized patients and may not add up to data totals from hospital survey,Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. )te:all data are cumulative and current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page;*Hospitalized at any point in time, not necessarily the current status;**Only includes data from deaths following completed 'estigation,figures are updates as additional investigations are completed; + Excludes unknown values.Includes both probable and confirmed cases. 4 •„�f M1agx,.. Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Cases, Hospitalizations, & Deaths by Race/Ethnicitp Y e following caveats apply to these data: Information on race and ethnicity is collected and reported by laboratories,healthcare providers and local boards of health and may or may not reflect self-report bythe individual case.2.If no information is Dvided by any reporter on a case's race or ethnicity, DPH classifies it as missing.3.A classification of unknown indicates the reporter did not know the race and ethnicity of the individual,the individual refused to wide information,or that the originating system does not capture the information.4.Other indicates multiple races or that the originating system does not capture the information. tte:COVID-19 testing is currently conducted by dozens of private labs, hospitals,and other partners and the Department of Public Health is working with these organizations to improve data reporting by race and inicity,to better understand where, and on whom,the burden of illness is falling so the Commonwealth can respond more effectively. On 4/8,the Commissioner of Public Health issued an Order related to collecting mplete demographic information for all confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients. Total Cases, n= 147,215 Total Cases Reported as Hospitalized*, n= 13,082 Total Deaths, n=9,810 ° 2 3% - 3.2% 2 5% 6.8/° 8.4°% 6.6% ' r= 9.0% <: 6.8% - 31.9% 11.7% 49.9% 24.0% 7S.7% 14.9%_"_/ •Asian Non-Hispanic Black/African American Non-Hispanic *Hispanic *Other Non-Hispanic •Unknown/Missing *White Non-Hispanic to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided bythe Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registryof Vital Records and Statistics;Tables and Figures created bythe Office of Population Health.Note:all data are cumulative and rent as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page;*Hospitalization refers to status at any point in time,not necessarilythe current status of the patient/demographic data on hospitalized patients collected retrospectively,analysis does not lude all hospitalized patients and may not add up to data totals from hospital surveys.Includes both probable and confirmed cases. 15 Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 '," / =COVID- 19 Cases in Long -Term Care (LTC) Facilities v9�� `L� Res'dents/Healthcare Workers of Long-Term Care Facilities Probable or Confirmed COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facilities with Reporting At Least One Probable Deaths Reported in Long-Term Probable or Confirmed COVID-19 or Confirmed Case of COVID_ 19 Care Facilities • • 1 • ,314 to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health )te:all data are cumulative and current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page.Data includes nursing homes,skilled nursing facilities,and rest homes. 16 /I,_ ?, Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Probable Case Information v �^ / • / Total Probable ProbableCases Today • • • Newly Reported Total Deaths Among---, Deaths Among Probable Cases ON Probable Today �LL to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences and the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health )te:all data are cumulative and current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. For the COVID-19 probable case definition, please refer to the Glossary on pA 17 cr a; ��r �'�� Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 "Test i ng by Date - Anti body • •Antibody - • •• - • - • Antibody umber of Individuals Tested by Antibody by Test Date :ndividuaIs with Negative Antibody Tests *Individuals with Positive Antibody Tests *Cumulative Patients Tested by Antibody Method 400 126K N rl V 350 m 00 ,,, 124K 300 rl 250 0 122K 200 120K rn 150 v 100 118K v m .-1 M 50 . 0 116K Q 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 10 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1S 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. )te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Data previously shown according to date report received; data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in )orting by laboratories, counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete. Please note that some individuals have been tested by both molecular and antibody methods. 18 Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 . ,. 9- Testing by Date - AntigensTotal - • by Antigen by Antigen umber of Individuals Tested by Antigens by Test Date I F799 • • • Individuals with Negative Antigen Tests *Individuals with Positive Antigen Tests •Cumulative Patients Tested by Antigen Method 170K rn o N � 2,000 oo 00 00 160K 00 m � � n rn M M ry N M v m 150K 1,500 a, ^^ v n N M M rn 140K M N N '-I 1,000 130K 120K 500 110K 0 . 100K 10 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1S 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2S 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 September October to Sources:COVID-19 Data provided by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences;Tables and Figures created by the Office of Population Health. ,te:all data are current as of 8:00am on the date at the top of the page. Data previously shown according to date report received; data now presented according to date the individual was tested. Due to lag in )orting by laboratories, counts for most recent dates are likely to be incomplete. 19 r,.rr 1p �rjr y�°Ss Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 Total Hospital Capacity by Region rF'T". Data collected as of 10/21/2020 S:00pm Massachusetts Available Alternate Medical Site Beds 12,800 Available non-ICU Beds(including Surge) Available ICU Beds(including Surge) Occupied Alternate Medical Site Beds Occupied non-ICU Beds 80% ® Occupied ICU Beds By Region 100% 4.100 140 _ 2,100 1,300 2,000 1,900 -In G0' a, m 6 80% cu v u H m 0 ar ., 4096 _ _.. _. ... Nirk a zo 20% 9� V/O 0%o Total Boston Central Metro West Northeast Southeast West cupancy/availability as reported by hospitals to DPH. )ions shown represent EOHHS Regions.Note that total bed estimates may change day-to-day due to hospitals updating surge planning.As of June 16th,data reflects updated data collection methodology and the removal of unstaffed is from this analysis.Analysis here reflects total beds that hospitals could staff within 12-24 hours.Note:Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data ma t be directly comparable to hospital data reported previously.As of 9/8/20,all observation beds and observation status patients will be included in the Available Non-ICU Beds and Occupied Non-ICU Beds categories. 20 n,nr 4vay.� Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 `v v! COVID Patient Census by Hospital (1/3) D ll d f 10212 mata coecte as o / / 020 5:00 y., .• P Hospital Name Hospital County Hospitalized Total COVID patients- Hospitalized COVID patients in suspected and confirmed(including ICU) ICU-suspected and confirmed Addison Gilbert Hospital Essex 0 0 Anna Jaques Hospital Essex 3 0 Athol Memorial Hospital Worcester 0 0 Baystate Franklin Medical Center Franklin 1 1 Baystate Medical Center Hampden 23 0 Baystate Noble Hospital Hampden 3 0 Baystate Wing Hospital Hampden 3 0 Berkshire Medical Center Berkshire 0 0 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Milton Norfolk 19 S Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham Norfolk 11 2 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth 28 0 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Suffolk 21 2 Beverly Hospital Essex 2 0 Boston Childrens Hospital* Suffolk 3 1 Boston Medical Center Suffolk 50 S Brigham and Womens -Faulkner Suffolk 11 0 Brigham and Womens Hospital Suffolk 16 7 Brockton Hospital Plymouth 7 2 Cambridge Hospital Middlesex 21 4 Cape Cod Hospital Barnstable 0 0 Carney Hospital Suffolk _ 6 3 Clinton Hospital Worcester 0 0 Cooley Dickinson Hospital Hampshire 0 0 cupancy/availability as reported by hospitals to DPH;*Specialty hospital data may be delayed and patient composition may vary. te:Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data reported previously. As of 9/8/20,patients on an nervation stay with confirmed or suspected COVID are included in total COVID hospitalization figures in addition to patients who are admitted.This update will create consistency in reporting and provide a more complete picture of total 1VID hospitalizations.Most hospitals were already including observation status patients in their reporting,so this u date is not expected to have a significant impact on daily trends. 21 P P Y� 9 P P P 9 P Y t r'r c`F tinq.s• Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 COVID Patient Census by Hospital 2/3 `I1 �j°7' Data collected as of 10/21/2020 5:00 m 9,s P Hospital Name Hospital County Hospitalized Total COVID patients- Hospitalized COVID patients in suspected and confirmed(including ICU) ICU-suspected and confirmed Dana Farber Cancer Institute* Suffolk 0 0 Emerson Hospital Middlesex 5 0 Fairview Hospital Berkshire 0 0 Falmouth Hospital Barnstable 1 0 Good Samaritan Medical Center Plymouth 6 2 Harrington Hospital Worcester 1 1 Health Alliance-Leominster Worcester 7 2 Heywood Hospital Worcester 7 1 Holy Family Hospital Essex 8 7 Holyoke Hospital Hampden 2 0 Lahey Hospital Burlington Middlesex 16 0 Lahey Hospital Peabody Essex 0 0 Lawrence General Hospital Essex 18 3 Lowell General Hospital Middlesex 9 4 Marlborough Hospital Middlesex 2 1 Marthas Vineyard Hospital Dukes 0 0 Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary* Suffolk 0 0 Massachusetts General Hospital Suffolk 32 7 Melrose Wakefield Hospital Middlesex 5 0 Mercy Medical Center Hampden 10 1 Merrimack Valley Hospital Essex 0 0 MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Middlesex 11 4 MetroWest Medical Center Natick Middlesex 1 0 cupancy/availability as reported by hospitals to DPH;*Specialty hospital data may be delayed and patient composition may vary. te:Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data reported previously. As of 9/8/20,patients on an servation stay with confirmed or suspected COVID are included in total COVID hospitalization figures in addition to patients who are admitted.This update will create consistency in reporting and provide a more complete p22ture of total 1VID hospitalizations.Most hospitals were already including observation status patients in their reporting,so this update is not expected to have a significant impact on daily trends. n rr rtxga Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 v ww COVID Patient Census by Hospital 3/3 `7U Data collected as of 10/21/2020 5:00 m F P. v f,. rp piiG Hospital Name Hospital County Hospitalized Total COVID patients- Hospitalized COVID patients in suspected and confirmed(including ICU) ICU-suspected and confirmed Milford Regional Medical Center Worcester 6 0 Morton Hospital Bristol 4 0 Mount Auburn Hospital Middlesex 4 2 Nantucket Cottage Hospital Nantucket 0 0 Nashoba Valley Medical Center Middlesex 0 0 New England Baptist Hospital Suffolk 0 0 Newton-Wellesley Hospital Middlesex 15 4 North Shore Medical Center Salem Essex 4 0 Norwood Hospital Norfolk 0 0 Saint Vincent Hospital Worcester 11 4 Saints Memorial Medical Center Middlesex 0 0 South Shore Hospital Norfolk 10 1 Southcoast Charlton Memorial Hospital Bristol 7 3 St Annes Hospital Bristol 0 0 St Elizabeths Medical Center Suffolk 9 2 St Lukes Hospital Bristol 9 3 Sturdy Memorial Hospital Bristol 27 8 Tobey Hospital Plymouth 6 0 Tufts Medical Center Suffolk 10 2 UMass Memorial-Memorial Campus Worcester 16 6 UMass Memorial-University Campus Worcester 2 1 Winchester Hospital Middlesex 12 2 cupancy/availability as reported by hospitals to DPH;*Specialty hospital data may be delayed and patient composition may vary. te:Hospital-reported data included here reflects a transition to new federal reporting standards imposed as of 7/22.As a result,data may not be directly comparable to hospital data reported previously. As of 9/8/20,patients on an nervation stay with confirmed or suspected COVID are included in total COVID hospitalization figures in addition to patients who are admitted.This update will create consistency in reporting and provide a more complete p23ture of total ,VID hospitalizations.Most hospitals were already including observation status patients in their reporting,so this update is not expected to have a significant impact on daily trends. rr/. '�1 Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard- Thursday, October 22, 2020 sv �vr Department of Corrections Data •rr rvh`• Department of Corrections data as required by Chapter 93 of the Acts of 2020, previously found on this page, are available at https://www.mass.,gov/guides/doc-coronavirus-information-gdide and on the dashboard website: https://www.mass.go_v/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting under "Additional COVID-19 data." Direct links to the DOC information found on those pages include: -Inmate data - https://www.mass.gov/info-details/doc-covid-19-inmate-dashboard -Staff data - https://www.mass.gov/lists/doc-covid-19-staff-testing-reports -Inmate Housing Reports - https://www.mass.gov/lists/doc-covid-19-institution-cell-housing-reports 24 Mandatory Participation in Infectious Disease Isolation, Quarantine and Contact Tracing a) This regulation is promulgated pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Health by General Law c. 111, § 122 to abate, contain and prevent the public health nuisance of the contiguous spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. b) Any person who has been contacted by the North Andover Health Department who has tested positive for COVID-19 or been diagnosed with another infectious disease shall isolate for a set amount of time as determined by the North Andover Health Department. c) Any person contacted by the North Andover Health Department must disclose the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all individuals with whom they have been in close contact during their infectious period as determined by the Health Department and shall also provide the address of all public areas, businesses and other locations where they have been in that time. d) All persons determined to be a close contact of an infectious person must quarantine for fourteen (14) days or a set amount of time as determined by the Health Department. e) Refusal to adhere to isolation or quarantine orders or provide such information required for contact tracing or knowingly giving false information shall be punishable for a fine of up to one thousand dollars in accordance with M.G.L. c. 111, § 123. Town of North Andover Updates on COVID-19 response CONNECT WITH US: Text COVIDNA to 67283 Current case count: 627 Active: 39 Recovered and out of isolation: 546 COVID-19 Related Deaths: 44 Active Merrimack cases (included in case count):13 Dear Neighbors, Today a new community level data map will be released by the State; the Town of North Andover anticipates that it will continue to be classified as a higher risk (red) community. We have been informed by the Commonwealth that while the Town will remain red, we will have an asterisk next to our designation because over 30 percent of our cases are due to the presence of cases at an institution of higher education. Without the Merrimack College cases, the Town of North Andover would have a yellow designation. Earlier today, the Town Manager, School Superintendent and Health Director released a letter to the school community regarding an increase in cases at North Andover High School. Due to those cases, North Andover High School will transition to remote learning from October 23 to November 9. A copy of that letter can be found here: https://groups.google.com/a/northandoverpublicschools.com/g/naps-news/c/lSzc4gie 8 a/m/7mge sWHAAAJ Town offices are seeing more instances of gatherings and evidence of residents not practicing social distancing and prudent mask wearing. This is very concerning as we are moving toward winter, seeing a statewide increase in cases and this behavior is impacting our ability to continue in person learning at one school. I am asking all residents to renew their commitment to working with me in mitigating the spread of COVID19 by following the Governor's Executive Orders regarding gatherings, masks, and social distancing. I recognize that this has been a long and trying few months. I know that we all strive to find a sense of normalcy during this pandemic. However, these are not normal times, and we must all come together to reduce COVID19 and keep our community safe. The Town of North Andover Family Flu Clinic for ages 3 and older is scheduled for Sunday October 25, 2020, 10:OOam-2:OOpm at the North Andover High School. This year's family flu clinic will be a Drive Through. Please wear short sleeves and bring your insurance card. You can pre register online, print out a registration form, fill it out and bring it with you to save time. You can also attach a copy of your insurance card to each family member's registration form to save even more time. This school year, the schools are using their outdoor space more than ever before. For the safety of our students, we respectfully request that residents not use school grounds during school hours. COVID-19 Small Business Grants: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made $50.8 million in grants available to support small businesses, microenterprises, and their employees, families and communities. Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) will be administering these funds to businesses experiencing economic hardship and a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The available funds are divided into two programs, Small Business Grants for 5 or fewer employees and Small Business Grants for 50 or fewer employees. The application opens today (10/22/2020) at 12:OOPM and will close at 12:OOPM on 11/12/2020 For more information about this grant program, Click Here. For more information on resources for small businesses and employers, Click Here. As more and more businesses, restaurants and activities open up, we continue to encourage the community to stay diligent in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Many of the things that you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses such as the flu, include: • Wear a face covering or mask whenever in public and when you are not able to physically distance yourself from others. • Physical or social distancing whenever in public and as much as possible. • Avoid large gatherings especially as it gets colder and more events are being held inside. • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. • Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes. • Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands. • Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others. These steps are of the utmost importance and reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Please join us in stressing this to your family, friends and neighbors. We understand that you may need to go to potentially crowded public places and stores so please follow our Tips to Shop Safely during COVID-19, found here. Town Hall and the Library are open by appointment. To make an appointment at the library contact: https://www.stevensmemlib.org/latest-reopening-news/ To make an appointment at Town Hall please contact the necessary office. The COVID-19 hotline is still available at 978-208-6070. Messages left on this line are sent directly to Town staff and will be answered during regular business hours. The best source of guidance and recommendations is the DPH website: www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus. Questions about the town's response or about the illness, in general, can be sent to covid 196d�northandoverma.gov. We will continue to monitor this situation and will distribute necessary information and guidance. Best, Melissa Rodrigues, Esq. Town Manager