Editor’s Note: In today’s update Bedford’s Covid-19 Task Force and Town Manager Sarah Stanton point to Memorial Day observances, and in the full message discuss the opening of Parks, Fields, and Courts.
Click this link to read the Town’s full update for Monday, May 25, 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, May 25, 2020, there have been a total of one hundred ninety (191) positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Town of Bedford Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) and thirty-seven (37) deaths of Bedford residents attributed to COVID-19. The total case number includes residents of the Town of Bedford, including but not limited to those in single-family homes, apartments, the VA campus, Hanscom Air Force Base, special needs group homes and any and all other larger assisted living/care facilities in Bedford as reported to us by the MA DPH.
As you may be aware, long term care facilities serving the elderly and congregate-care facilities, house susceptible populations with underlying conditions who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Increased testing occurs at these facilities and results in more positive cases being identified. As such, cities and towns with these facilities, like Bedford, experience elevated positive case counts and, unfortunately, deaths due to the vulnerability to COVID-19 of the populations within those facilities.
Fifty-three (53) of the total Bedford cases have already recovered and have come off of isolation and there may other Bedford residents who would be considered persons under investigation in that they are symptomatic, have undergone testing but have not yet received results. There are other individuals impacted by COVID-19 in the community who 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
MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE
While our method of observing Memorial Day may be different than in past years, and either done virtually or appropriately socially distanced, please take a moment today to honor the sacrifices made by the women and men who served our country in the military and lost their lives.
Many also view Memorial Day as the kick-off to summer. With the nicer weather upon us and residents’ strong desire to get outside and enjoy it all, the Bedford Board of Health and the COVID-19 Task Force, who have been working so diligently to keep you informed and protected during these past several months, caution residents to be mindful that a slow and steady approach to regaining normalcy in our lives will indeed help us get to the other side of this epidemic. Just because something is allowed, or restrictions are loosened, doesn’t mean you have to jump into the fray at full speed. Please continue to use social distancing, wear a face covering when leaving your home, wash your hands often for 20 seconds, do not touch your face, do not gather in large groups and continue to slow the spread.
Wishing you a safe and healthy Memorial Day!
Stay healthy…and keep washing your hands.
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