Swansea, MA COVID-19 Resources and Information

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Town of Swansea Officials Continue to Urge Residents to Remain Vigilant Against Spread of COVID-19 Following ‘Red’ Designation

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Town Administration Mallory Aronstein reports that the Town of Swansea has seen a further rise in positive COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, and town officials are continuing to urge the community to follow COVID-19 prevention guidance.

According to the public health data released on Thursday, Nov. 12, the Town’s designation is now “Red,” indicating a “high risk” in the community. This designation follows the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH) update to the calculation of risk designations to better reflect COVID-19 caseload in relation to population. Swansea’s “Red” designation in accordance with the new metrics indicates more than or equal to 10 average cases per 100,000 residents and more than or equal to a 5% positivity rate.

According to today’s data, there have been 84 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Swansea over the past two weeks. Swansea’s average daily incidence rate, which the state uses to calculate risk determinations, has risen to 37.6 per 100,000 residents, up from last week’s rate of 25.1.

“It is imperative that residents continue to wear their masks, practice social distancing and get tested when sick to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Town Administrator Aronstein said. “As we approach the holiday season, residents should be reminded that this is not the time to let their guards down. Per Gov. Baker’s new orders, residents should adhere to the stay at home advisory and avoid social gatherings.”

Swansea residents are reminded of the new state measures now in effect. They include:

  • Stay At Home Advisory: A revised Stay At Home Advisory has been issued which instructs residents to stay home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Exceptions are made for activities such as going to work, running critical errands to get groceries and address health needs, and taking a walk. To read the revised advisory, click here.
  • Early Closure of Businesses and Activities: A new executive order requires certain businesses to close and activities to end each night at 9:30 p.m. To read the new executive order, including a full list of businesses affected by the new early closure requirement, click here.
  • Face Coverings: Face coverings are now required in all public places, even if 6 feet of social distance can be maintained. Limited exceptions remain. To read the revised face-coverings order, click here.
  • Gatherings: A new order reduces the gathering size limit for gatherings at private residences. Indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. The new order also requires that organizers of gatherings report known positive COVID-19 cases to the local health department and requires organizers to cooperate with contact tracing. To read the revised gatherings order, click here.

Holiday Safety

With the holiday season upon us, the Town of Swansea would like to share the following holiday safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Family and friends should consider the number and rate of COVID-19 cases in their community and in the community where they plan to celebrate when considering whether to host or attend a holiday celebration. 
  • Host outdoor activities rather than indoor activities as much as possible. If hosting an outdoor event is not possible, and you choose to host an indoor event, avoid crowded, poorly ventilated, or fully enclosed indoor spaces.
  • Avoid traveling for the holidays as traveling increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household poses low risk for spread.
  • During holiday celebrations, you should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet or more from people you don’t live with, wear a mask and avoid busy eating areas, such as restaurants during high volume mealtimes.
  • If you participated in higher risk activities or think that you may have been exposed during your celebration, take extra precautions (in addition the ones listed above) for 14 days after the event to protect others:

To view more holiday safety tips, visit the CDC’s COVID-19: Holiday Celebration page here.

General COVID-19 Safety

Town officials would also like to remind residents, especially young adults, of the COVID-19 prevention tips from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH):

  • Remember that an infected individual can spread COVID-19 before they have symptoms, which is why social distancing — maintaining a minimum of 6 feet from others — is critical.
  • Those who must go out are urged to:
    • Avoid gathering in groups
    • Maintain 6 feet from people outside your household
    • Do not shake hands or hug
    • Wash your hands often
  • Those who are at a high risk for COVID-19, including those over the age of 65 and with underlying health conditions, are advised to stay home and avoid non-essential tasks and errands.
  • Wear a mask in indoor and outdoor spaces where social distancing from people outside your household is not possible. This does not apply to those under the age of two and with underlying health conditions.
  • Face coverings should:
    • Cover the nose and mouth
    • Fit snugly and comfortably against the side of the face
    • Be secured with either ties or ear loops
    • Permit breathing without difficulty
    • Be able to be washed and machine dried without damage. Face masks should be washed regularly depending on the amount of use.

For additional tips from the CDC, click here, and from the Massachusetts DPH, click here.

Additional information regarding the Town of Swansea’s response to COVID-19 can be found on the Town’s website: www.town.swansea.ma.us.

Swansea residents with questions may additionally contact the Swansea Board of Health at 508-324-6704.

 

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Baker-Polito Administration Announces Targeted Measures To Curb Rising COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations

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Note: The following is a press release from Gov. Charlie Baker’s office.

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a series of targeted measures to disrupt the increasing trend of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Governor Charlie Baker announced these changes at a time where public health data has indicated that cases are rising, with cases up by 278% and hospitalizations up by 145% since Labor Day. These measures are meant to disrupt rising trends now, so the Commonwealth can keep the economy and schools open for residents and to prevent the need to roll back to Phase I or Phase II of the reopening plan.

All orders and advisories will be effective Friday, November 6th at 12:01 AM.

New Orders & Advisories:

Stay At Home Advisory: The Administration issued a revised Stay At Home Advisory to ensure residents avoid unnecessary activities that can lead to increased COVID-19 transmission. The revised Stay At Home Advisory instructs residents to stay home between 10 PM and 5 AM. The Advisory allows for activities such as going to work, running critical errands to get groceries and address health needs, and taking a walk.

Click here to read the revised Stay At Home Advisory: www.mass.gov/stayhome.

Early Closure of Businesses and Activities: Governor Baker issued a new executive order that requires the early closure of certain businesses and activities each night at 9:30 PM. The 9:30 PM closure requirement is aligned with the Stay At Home Advisory and together the two new initiatives are designed to further limit activities that could lead to COVID-19 transmission.

Effective November 6, the following businesses and activities must close to the public each day between the hours of 9:30 PM and 5:00 AM.

  • Restaurants (in-person dining must cease at 9:30 PM, although takeout and delivery may continue for food and non-alcoholic beverages, but not alcohol)
  • Liquor stores and other retail establishments that sell alcohol must cease alcohol sales at 9:30 PM (but may continue to sell other products)
  • Adult-use marijuana sales must cease at 9:30 PM (not including medical marijuana)
  • Indoor & outdoor events
  • Theaters/movie theaters (including drive-in movie theaters), and performance venues (indoor and outdoor)
  • Youth and adult amateur sports activities
  • Golf facilities
  • Recreational boating and boating businesses
  • Outdoor recreational experiences
  • Casinos and horse tracks/simulcast facilities
  • Driving and flight schools
  • Zoos, botanical gardens, wildlife reserves, nature centers
  • Close contact personal services (such as hair and nail salons)
  • Gyms, Fitness Centers and Health Clubs
  • Indoor and outdoor pools
  • Museums/cultural & historical facilities/guided tours

Click here to read the new executive order (including full list of businesses required to close at 9:30 PM).

Face Covering Order: Governor Baker also signed an updated order related to face-coverings. The revised order requires all persons to wear face-coverings in all public places, even where they are able to maintain 6 feet of distance from others. The revised order still allows for an exception for residents who cannot wear a face-covering due to a medical or disabling condition, but it allows employers to require employees to provide proof of such a condition. It also allows schools to require that students participating in in-person learning provide proof of such a medical or disabling condition.

Click here to read the revised face-coverings order.

Gatherings Order: Governor Baker also signed an updated order restricting gatherings. The new gatherings order reduces the gathering size limit for gatherings at private residences: indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. The limit on gatherings held in public spaces and at event venues (e.g. wedding venues) remains the same. The new order also requires that all gatherings (regardless of size or location) must end and disperse by 9:30 PM.

The new gatherings order also requires that organizers of gatherings report known positive COVID-19 cases to the local health department in that community and requires organizers to cooperate with contact tracing. The gatherings order authorizes continued enforcement by local health and police departments and specifies that fines for violating the gathering order will be $500 for each person above the limit at a particular gathering.

Click here to read the revised gatherings order.

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Town of Swansea Shares Safety Tips for a Safe Halloween Celebration Amid COVID-19

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The Town of Swansea would like to share tips for trick-or-treating and alternative Halloween activities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Trick-or-treating will take place in Swansea on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Residents and communities should follow safe and healthy tips to participate in Halloween activities that may limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As a reminder, any Halloween activities are subject to the current state gathering size limits.

“We understand that many residents want to participate in upcoming Halloween festivities to bring some sense of normalcy to the beginning of the holiday season amid the ongoing pandemic,” Board of Selectmen Chair Christopher Carreiro said. “With that said, we would like to remind all our our residents of the importance of taking safety precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. No Halloween activity is worth being infected or infecting others, so we ask that all residents remain mindful of COVID-19 guidance.”

Should residents partake in trick-or-treating, they are encouraged to make individually wrapped goodie bags that can be placed at the end of a driveway or the edge of their yard for families to take. Those handing out candy should also wear a mask and gloves at all times and frequently wash their hands. Those who do not wish to participate in trick-or-treating are asked to shut off their outdoors lights as an indicator.

Consistent with the Halloween activity guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some things to keep in mind in celebrating Halloween this year include:

  • Enjoy Halloween outside rather than attending indoor events.
  • Place candy on a platter instead of a bowl
  • Instead of traditional trick or treating, opt for one-way trick-or-treating, with treats placed outside of the home for trick-or-treaters as a “grab and go” while keeping distance from others.
  • Consider leaving hand sanitizer by any treats left out for trick-or-treaters to use.
  • Wear a face mask or face covering. For more information on face masks and face coverings, please see the state’s Mask Up MA webpage.
    • A costume mask is not a substitute for a face mask or face covering. To protect yourself and others, ensure you are wearing a protective face mask or covering instead of or in addition to a costume mask.
  • Observe good hand hygiene, including hand washing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol. Carry hand sanitizer and use it often, especially after coming into contact with frequently touched surfaces and before eating candy.
  • Refrain from touching your face.
  • Decorate your yard for others to enjoy from their car or while on a socially-distanced walk.
  • Hold virtual costume contests or pumpkin carving events.
  • Celebrate with members of your household with a Halloween-themed meal, Halloween movie night, or by preparing a Halloween scavenger hunt.
  • Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet of physical distance from all other participants who are not members of the same household.
  • Don’t enter anyone’s home while trick-or-treating and if a group is already at someone’s door then wait at a safe distance until they leave.
  • Mark separate paths for trick-or-treaters to enter and exit your property when possible.

Families should avoid the following:

  • Attending crowded costume parties held indoors, or any gatherings that exceed indoor or outdoor gathering limits;
  • Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming; and
  • Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.

Stay home and refrain from Halloween activities, including handing out Halloween treats, if you feel unwell, you have tested positive for COVID-19, you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or you have traveled to or from a state that is not classified as lower risk within the last 14 days. For more information on lower risk states, please see the state’s COVID-19 Travel Order webpage.

The Town of Swansea would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween!

 

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Swansea Fire Department Receives $13,620 Grant for COVID-19 Prevention Equipment

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SWANSEA – Chief Eric Hajder is pleased to announce that the Swansea Fire Department was awarded a $13,620 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program (CESFP) grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Office of Grants and Research.

The grant was part of the $9.6 million in funding that the Baker-Politio Administration allocated to help local and state public safety agencies purchase additional resources to further aid in the prevention, preparation for and/or response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Swansea Fire Department will use the funds to purchase a PortaCount Pro Plus respirator fit tester, an adapter, and a Microsoft Go tablet.

“We are thankful to the Baker-Polito Administration and to the Executive Office of Public Safety for this additional funding to help the Swansea Fire Department address COVID-19 in the community,” Chief Hajder said. “The fight against COVID-19 is far from over, and we will continue to do what we can to keep the residents of Swansea as safe as possible during the ongoing pandemic.”

Municipalities were eligible to receive up to $50,000 in individual funding. In total, 65 fire departments and 44 police departments representing 94 cities and towns received CESFP awards.

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