Swansea, MA COVID-19 Resources and Info

Official Town Website

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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Town of Swansea Shares Phase 2 Guidelines for State’s Reopening Plan

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‘Step One’ of Phase 2 Reopenings Began Monday, June 8

SWANSEA — Acting Town Administrator James Purcell and the Town of Swansea wish to share with residents information about the second phase of Gov. Charlie Baker’s four-phase approach for reopening the state and the mandatory guidelines for businesses allowed to reopen this week.

On Saturday, June 6, Gov. Baker announced the second stage of the state’s reopening plan. The plan allowed additional industries to reopen Monday, June 8. All industries allowed to reopen will need to adhere to state and local restrictions.

Monday marked “step one” of Phase 2. Industries eligible to reopen on Monday and the industry-specific restrictions that they must follow included:

  • Restaurants, which will be allowed to offer outdoor dining options for patrons, in addition to their takeout and delivery services.
  • Retail spaces, which will be allowed to have limited amounts of in-store customers. This guidance does not apply to Farmers’ Markets. 
  • Golf facilities, including information about on-site restaurants and pro-shops, which will be allowed to reopen in Phase 2.
  • Operators of Lodging, including hotels, motels and other lodging businesses.
  • Outdoor recreation, including parks, athletic fields, open space and outdoor education programs.

Hospitals and community health providers will also be allowed to offer less-urgent preventative care, such as teeth cleanings, vision services and certain elective non-urgent procedures, starting Monday. This does not include elective cosmetic procedures and in-person day programs.

Step two of Phase 2 will allow for the reopening of such industries as nail salons, massage therapy, tattoo parlors and tanning salons. Restaurants will also be allowed to offer indoor dining as part of step two.

Baker said Saturday that public health data will determine when Phase 2 moves from its first step to its second step, with a determination coming over the course of the next week.

The State’s decision to move forward with Phase 2 reopenings was in part due to the positive trend of COVID-19 testing rates. According to the State’s Dashboard of Public Health Indicators dated Friday, June 5, three of the six indicators are currently trending positive, which also includes the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospitals and the State’s testing capacity.

More information, as well as the industries that reopened in Phase 1 and those specific reopening guidelines, can be found here.

“From an economic standpoint, local businesses have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Acting Town Administrator Purcell said. “Entering Phase 2 is a significant milestone for our community, as well as for the entire state. We will work hard to ensure our local restaurants and other establishments can reopen in a safe and timely manner, and we urge our residents to shop and dine local as more reopenings take place in the coming weeks.”

Public health officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 case data in the state daily, and the data will serve as a guide for progressing through additional phases of the reopening plan. Should there be an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, state officials will order the return to the prior phase.

General, mandatory safety standards that all businesses must adhere to include:

  • Requiring employees, vendors and patrons to practice social distancing (maintaining six feet between each other), establishing protocols to allow for social distancing among employees and providing signage to promote the practice.
  • Requiring face coverings or masks for all employees, and providing physical partitions taller than a standing worker where physical distancing is challenging, if necessary (i.e. cashiers).
  • Providing hand washing opportunities and supplies throughout the workplace to ensure that employees are able to frequently do so.
  • Regularly disinfected high touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs and restrooms throughout the workplace.
  • Providing training for employees on social distancing and hygiene.
  • Requiring that any employee who displays symptoms related to COVID-19 stay home from work.
  • Establishing a plan for employees who contract COVID-19, including cleaning and disinfecting protocols, and a return-to-work plan.

More information about the mandatory safety standards can be found here.

Additional restrictions may be implemented for specific businesses, industry sectors or municipalities in order to prevent local outbreaks.. This information will be shared when it becomes available.

Residents are still urged to stay home as much as possible in order to limit their risk for exposure to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Those who are 65 or older, or have been identified as high risk individuals should they contract the virus are asked to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people remain in effect.

Should residents leave their homes for any reason, they are asked to take the following steps to help prevent the transmission of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19:

  • Wear a face mask or cloth face covering when social distancing is hard to maintain.
  • Practice social distancing at all times by remaining 6 feet away from others when you must leave your home for trips to open businesses or facilities.
  • Wash your hands, and clean and disinfect all high touch surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
  • Stay home if you’re sick and avoid close contact with others.

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Town of Swansea to Hold Special Town Meeting June 1 

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Face Coverings Will Be Required, Social Distancing Regulations Will Be in Place

SWANSEA — Acting Town Administrator James Purcell, Town Moderator Paul Burke and Town Clerk Diane Pelland announce that the Town of Swansea will be holding a Special Town Meeting next week, with special regulations in place so that residents and town officials can practice proper social distancing and recommended hygiene measures.

The Special Town Meeting will take place Monday, June 1, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Venus de Milo restaurant, 75 GAR Highway.

The following safety measures will be in place for the meeting:

  • Residents who are not registered voters will NOT be allowed to attend.
  • Voters must have been registered prior to March 13, 2020.
  • Check-in will begin at 5:45 p.m., and residents are urged to arrive early.
  • The use of the front building entrance will be prohibited.
  • Residents whose last names begin with the letters A-L are asked to enter through the West entrance of the building.
  • Residents whose last names begin with the letters M-Z are asked to enter through the East entrance of the building.
  • Temperature screenings will be conducted, along with verbal health screenings, for all attendees prior to entry.
  • In accordance with Gov. Charlie Baker’s orders, face coverings will be required for entry. A limited number of masks will be available, but residents are urged to bring their own.
  • A separate seating area will be designated for those individuals unable to wear a mask due to health issues or other circumstances.
  • Movement within the meeting room will be limited to ensure appropriate social distancing.
  • Socially distanced seating will be provided.

The Special Town Meeting was originally scheduled for March 23, and had been recessed and continued to April 13, and again until May 4.

The decision to hold the meeting on June 1 was made in consultation with the Swansea Board of Selectmen and Board of Health, in accordance with Governor Baker’s orders.

Though municipal legislative bodies are exempt from orders prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, numerous precautions are being taken to ensure the safety and health of residents attending the meeting.

“It is imperative that residents who attend Monday’s Special Town Meeting follow the measures in place and adhere to strict social distancing guidelines,” Acting Town Administrator Purcell said. “This is an unprecedented way to hold such a meeting, and we ask that all residents be patient and respectful during the process.”

Any resident with questions about the June 1 Special Town Meeting should contact the Swansea Town Clerk’s office at 508-678-9389.

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Swansea Officials Share Phase 1 of State’s New Reopening Guidelines

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SWANSEA — Swansea officials wish to share information about Gov. Charlie Baker’s four-phase approach for reopening the state and the mandatory guidelines for businesses allowed to reopen over the next week.

On Monday, May 18, Gov. Baker announced the first stage of the state’s reopening plan. The plan allows some industries to reopen immediately and others on Monday, May 25. All industries allowed to reopen will need to adhere to severe restrictions.

Gov. Baker ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses March 23 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Essential businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, have remained open since that announcement and will continue to remain open during each phase.

Industries eligible to reopen as of May 18 and the industry-specific restrictions that they must follow are:

Industries eligible to reopen on May 25 and the industry-specific restrictions that they must follow are:

More information and additional guidance can be found here.

Public health officials will continue to monitor the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state daily; a certain threshold for the decreased number of cases must be maintained during each phase. Should there be an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, state officials will order the return to the prior phase.

If there are no significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state over the course of at least three weeks, state officials will tentatively move on to Phase 2. Information about which businesses will be able to reopen and the restrictions they must follow will be shared when it becomes available.

General, mandatory safety standards that all businesses must adhere to include:

  • Requiring employees, vendors and patrons to practice social distancing (maintaining six feet between each other), establishing protocols to allow for social distancing among employees and providing signage to promote the practice.
  • Requiring face coverings or masks for all employees, and providing physical partitions taller than a standing worker where physical distancing is challenging if necessary (i.e. cashiers).
  • Providing hand washing opportunities and supplies throughout the workplace to ensure that employees are able to frequently do so.
  • Regularly disinfected high touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs and restrooms throughout the workplace.
  • Providing training for employees on social distancing and hygiene.
  • Requiring that any employee who displays symptoms related to COVID-19 stay home from work.
  • Establishing a plan for employees who contract COVID-19, including cleaning and disinfecting protocols, and a return-to-work plan.

More information about the mandatory safety standards can be found here.

Additional restrictions may be implemented for specific businesses, types of businesses or municipalities in order to prevent local outbreaks from spreading. This information will be shared when it becomes available.

Residents are now asked to stay at home unless going to an open business or facility. Those who are 65 or older, or have been identified as high risk individuals should they contract the virus are asked to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people remain in effect.

Should residents leave their homes for any reason, they are asked to take the following steps to help prevent the transmission of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19:

  • Wear a face mask or cloth face covering when social distancing is hard to maintain.
  • Practice social distancing at all times by remaining 6 feet away from others when you must leave your home for trips to open businesses or facilities.
  • Wash your hands, and clean and disinfect all high touch surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
  • Stay home if you’re sick and avoid close contact with others.

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