Editor’s Note: Today’s case count, updates on Phase II, Step 2 reopening, and a schedule change for Updates from the Town
Click this link to read the Town’s full update for Monday, June 22, 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, June 22, 2020, there have been a total of two hundred fifty-two (252) positive cases of COVID-19 reported to the Town of Bedford Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH), of those, one hundred forty-three (143) are Bedford residents not living in a healthcare/long term care setting. Forty (40) deaths of Bedford residents have been 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.
Eighty-four (84) 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.
New Daily Update Schedule – Starting Next Week- June 29, 2020
It is important to note that the daily count of new cases reported to the Bedford Board of Health by the MA Department of Public Health has slowed over these past several weeks. In an effort to focus on concerted outreach to the community on social distancing, and within Bedford businesses, as well as the reopening of Bedford – summer camps, summer programs, Bedford restaurants and other businesses, offices and laboratories, the manufacturing sector, and construction happening in town, as well as important Town business and other emerging issues, this Friday, June 26 will be the last daily update.
Starting on Monday, June 29, we will shift to a twice-weekly update schedule, on Monday and Thursday of each week. The community will continue to receive important COVID and community-related information as part of the twice-weekly updates, or otherwise as needed.
Reopening Massachusetts – Step 2 of Phase II
Today, Monday, June 22, Step Two (2) of Phase II (2) of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-massachusetts ,began to allow additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines. Businesses and sectors set to begin operating in Step Two of Phase II are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards. The following are eligible to reopen today in Step Two of Phase II:
- Indoor table service at restaurants;
- Close-contact personal services, with restrictions;
- Retail dressing rooms, by appointment only;
- Offices, at 50 percent capacity
Check the full list and safety protocols available at www.mass.gov/reopening
In order to give Step 2 businesses time to prepare, the Administration had previously released sector-specific guidance in advance of Phase II for industries including restaurants, close-contact personal services and sectors not otherwise addressed:
- Guidance for Restaurants – https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-restaurants
- Guidance for Close-Contact Personal Services – https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-close-contact-personal-services
- Guidance for Other Industries – https://www.mass.gov/resource/reopening-sector-specific-protocols-and-best-practices
- Guidance for Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed – https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-sectors-not-otherwise-addressed
Before these sectors can resume operations under the guidelines, businesses must meet all safety standards, create a COVID-19 control plan, and complete a self-certification.
To learn how you can support the Smooth Reopening of Bedford Businesses, please view these helpful tips at the following link: https://www.bedfordma.gov/economic-development/news/help-our-small-businesses-reopen-smoothly
Stay healthy, and wash your hands as often as possible!
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