Corona Virus Update
March 25, 2020
Department of Public Health Stay at Home Advisory
The emergency order requiring all non-essential businesses to close their physical workplaces and facilities to all workers, customers and the public went into effect 3/24/2020 at noon.
At the Governor’s direction, the Department of Public Health issued a stay at home advisory which outlined self-isolation and social distancing protocols.
DPH strongly advises residents who are 70 years and older, and those with underlying health conditions, to stay-at-home except for essential trips for food, medicine, and focused time for exercise and fresh air.
It also advises all residents to stay home as much as they can and avoid unnecessary activities for the next two weeks.
The advisory urges residents to continue practicing social distancing and safe hygiene practices throughout their daily activities.
Department of Transitional Assistance
DTA launched a new online application portal, https://dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.gov/, to assist residents in applying for Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC)
Key Public Health Messages for All Residents
Avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities.
Protect yourself by following public health advice about keeping your hands clean and covering coughs and sneezes.
Stay home if you are sick. If you need to consult a health care provider, call ahead first or use telehealth services.
Protect others who are most at risk of COVID-19 by keeping your distance from people (at least 6 feet away from others), especially those who are older, and people living with chronic health conditions.
If you are outside, avoid crowds.
Don’t shake hands or hug.
Stay connected to friends and loved ones by phone or through other technology.
Get information from trusted sources. Visit https://www.mass.gov/covid19 for the latest news, case counts, and lab testing results.
Take care of your emotional health and help others do the same. If you need emotional support during these stressful times:
Call 2-1-1 and choose the “CALL2TALK” option.
Samaritans is continuing operations 24/7, as always. During this unprecedented time, it can feel overwhelming to receive constant messages about COVID-19. Call or text their 24/7 helpline any time at 877-870-4673.
The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including disease outbreaks like COVID-19. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories.
Sign Up For New COVID-19 Text Notification System
The Baker-Polito Administration announced the launch of a new text-based notification system to deliver important information about the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response to Massachusetts residents.
The new messaging tool called “AlertsMA” will allow residents to subscribe to real-time notifications by texting the keyword COVIDMA to 888-777.
