Editor’s Note: In addition to increased case counts, Town Manager Sarah Stanton adds a caution, noting recent ways social distancing guidelines have not been observed in and around Bedford.
Click this link to read the Town’s full update for Monday, April 27, 2020
The daily update is also available in the following places if you’d like to share with your friends:
- Website ~ www.BedfordMA.gov
- Facebook ~ @bedfordma
- Twitter ~ @BedfordMAGov
CURRENT CASES
As of today, April 27, 2020, there have been a total of one hundred and nine (109) positive cases of COVID-19 in Bedford and four (4) deaths reported to the Town of Bedford Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH). The total case number includes residents of the Town of Bedford, Hanscom Air Force Base, and the Bedford Veteran’s Administration (VA) Campus as reported to us by the MA DPH.
Twenty three (23) of the total Bedford cases have already recovered and have come off of isolation and there are currently zero (0) known Persons Under Investigation. There are other individuals impacted by COVID-19 in the community that have not sought medical attention, and/or have not been tested and are isolating at home regardless. Those individuals do not appear on the surveillance reports the Town receives from the MA DPH.
The Board of Health continues to do the appropriate follow-up and outreach to those residents and close contacts known to us and the VA is conducting follow-up and contact tracing of the Veterans under their care. Many of the identified close contacts of some of the Bedford cases never exhibited symptoms, have completed their required quarantine period, and have been released from quarantine by the Board of Health.
Please note, in part to alleviate the community concern, the VA does do a daily report of their numbers, which includes inpatients, outpatients and staff, many of whom do not call Bedford home. The information can be found here: https://www.accesstocare.va.gov/Healthcare/COVID19NationalSummary
IMPORTANT UPDATES
As a friendly reminder, some guidance from BOH on complying with the Stay at Home Advisory and Social Distancing
Staying home means:
- Only leave home for essential errands such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy. When you do leave home, practice social distancing by staying 6 feet away from others.
- If you are at high-risk, you should ask about special hours at your local pharmacy or grocery store for high-risk individuals.
- When going to the pharmacy ask if you can fill your prescriptions for 90 days if possible; for some medications this is not allowed. If you are at high-risk, try to use a mail-order service.
- You can still go to the gas station, order and pick up take-out food, and receive deliveries.
- You can still go outside to get fresh air, but make sure you practice social distancing and avoid touching surfaces frequently touched by others. Do not participate in close contact activities such as pick-up sports games.
- Use remote modes of communication like phone or video chat instead of visiting friends or family.
- Non-essential medical care like eye exams, teeth cleaning, and elective procedures must be rescheduled.
- If possible, health care visits should be done remotely.
The following actions were observed in and around Bedford in the past few days and are NOT considered Social Distancing:
- Parents gathering in a parking lot/park for play dates for their children.
- Going for a walk with one of your close friends and talking while two feet apart on the sidewalk.
- Playing pickup basketball.
- Crowding grocery store workers and not maintaining a 6-foot distance from others while in the local markets
- Middle school-aged kids riding their bikes together then stopping for a snack at the convenience store and gathering in a close group; and,
- Having friends and family over to your house.
We need everyone to comply with social distancing. This is hard. We get it, but it only works if we are all diligent all the time and keep away from others who are not in your immediate households. Please pitch in and be compliant so that we can get to the other side of this outbreak.
Stay healthy!…(and wash your hands as often as possible.)
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