April 16, 2020 – North Andover News

Town of North Andover Updates on COVID-19 response

CONNECT WITH US: Text COVIDNA to 67283

April 16, 2020 UPDATE

Current case count: 96

Active: 38

Recovered and out of isolation: 53

COVID-19 Related Deaths: 5

As a community, we continue to mourn our COVID-19 related deaths. My thoughts, and the thoughts of all of our neighbors, are with families who have experienced such loss.

All of the deceased patients were elderly with pre-existing medical conditions.

We continue to urge you to practice social distancing, only leave your home for passive exercise and essential business, and to use good handwashing and other recommended procedures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

The North Andover Food Assistance Program will be distributing food on Patriots Day, Monday, April 20, 2020. Pick-up will take place at the High School from 11am-1pm. You will be asked for your confirmation number so you must pre-register.

The Town is in dire need of food donations for our food pantry. You can sign up to donate here: northandoverma.gov/coviddonate. Currently, our greatest needs are items like pasta and sauce, shelf-stable milk, and food items that would be adequate for a hearty dinner. If you have questions, please contact Deanna Lima at dlima@northandoverma.gov or 978-989-1048.

Reminders

Town Meeting has been rescheduled until June 16.
Town Election is rescheduled until June 2nd and voting by mail and by absentee ballot is encouraged.
The Affordable Housing Trust and Board of Selectmen voted to allocate $100,000 for an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program will provide up to $1,000 of rental assistance per month for a total of up to 3 months to residents that are unemployed, furloughed or have had a significant decrease in income due to COVID-19. Information regarding details of the program along with the application can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wJMGyIm0cYpECRUcJJYYL6Wg6ypthyx2/view. You may also request information by emailing lburzlaff@northandoverma.gov or calling the Town Manager’s office at 978-771-0837.
The Town is sponsoring the North Andover COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant, which allows eligible small businesses to apply for a grant that will cover one month of rent or a mortgage payment for the business, up to a maximum of $3,000. Learn more and apply here: www.northandoverma.gov/covidbizrelief
The Town or North Andover is inviting residents to participate in the #NAFromADistance Drawing / Video Contest. All children under the age of 14, who reside in North Andover, are eligible to submit artwork entries to the drawing contest. North Andover families, teens 14+, and adults are eligible to participate in the video contest. The theme of the contest is “What does Social Distancing Look Like to You?” Show us how your family is having fun and staying safe! All submissions must adhere to the Town of North Andover Social Media Policy . The contest will be open from Friday, April 10, 2020 at 8:00am until Friday, April 17, 2020 at Noon. Interested participants can submit their entries by posting them on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube with the hashtag #NAFromADistance. Please note, in order to submit your social media entry your privacy settings must be set to “public.” There will be four winners of $100 gift cards.
Social distancing has been shown to be the most proven method of preventing the transmission of COVID-19, but this can also be an issue for individuals who communicate primarily through face to face interactions, such as seniors. Please take a look at some tips and guidance for Seniors, in regard to social distancing by clicking on this link Seniors, Social Distancing and COVID-19.
With the rise in total cases of COVID-19 across the country, it has become common to see individuals at grocery stores and out in public wearing masks and gloves. When used correctly, personal protection equipment or PPE can help protect you and those around you from the COVID-19 virus. Please read our tips and other information regarding the Proper use of PPE.
The Town has also implemented one way walking recommendations around the town common and high school track to encourage social distancing while exercising. Please take a look at our Exercising in Public guidance.
Covid-19 is easily transmitted from person to person and concerns have arisen over virus transmission in apartment complexes, condominiums and multi-unit buildings. The North Andover Health Department would like to provide you with tips and suggestions for both staff and residents, to work in unison to keep the property safe. Please read our Guidance for Apartment Complexes, Condo Associations and other Multi-unit Living Facilities.
Most updated resources for Town businesses can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CaOzgHC0eb-Yal5yOHtggKBDC_Ig7osctuG5xc-pclo/edit
Meals are available for pick up or delivery on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Families may take two days worth of meals. You will be asked to provide a confirmation number, people MUST pre-register for meals so that we have enough. Please pre-order your meals here: http://www.northandoverpublicschools.com/departments/food-service-menus/community-meals-during-school-closure or by calling 978-208-6070 the day before. Mondays meals should be called in on Friday by 12:00 pm.

Meal pick up is at the High School. If you pre-order food for pick-up, but become under isolation or quarantine, please call and we will assist you in arranging for a no-contact delivery instead.

The COVID-19 hotline will still be available at 978-208-6070. Messages left on this line are sent directly to Town staff and will be answered during regular business hours.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has provided the following information

for all residents:

Many of the things you do to help prevent colds and the flu can help protect you against other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19:

Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.

There are currently no vaccines available to protect against this novel coronavirus infection.

We continue to encourage social distancing. Please see our Social Distance Guidance here. The best way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is to avoid large crowds and stay home with your families. This is of the utmost importance. Please join us in stressing this to your neighbors and friends. We do understand that at some point you may need to go to a potentially crowded or busy establishment, such as a grocery store. We encourage you to follow our Tips to Shop Safely during COVID-19, found here.

The best source of guidance and recommendations is the DPH website:

www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus.

Questions about the town’s response or about the illness, in general, can be sent to covid19@northandoverma.gov

Updated COVID-19 FAQS are available here.

We will continue to monitor this situation and will distribute necessary information and guidance.

Best,

Melissa Rodrigues, Esq.

Town Manager

COVID4.16.pdf

North Andover Health Department
Community and Economic Development Division

Exercising in Public Areas

The North Andover Health Department has received some concerns regarding the use of different public areas for exercising, including but not limited to the High School track and fields and the town common. As of now there is no closure issued for these areas but the Health Department would like you to abide by the following tips when exercising in these locations.

Make sure to adhere to any signage you see posted at these locations. For example, the common has signage to keep everyone moving in the same direction. Adhering to any signage at these locations can help people keep their distance from one another while being able to exercise safely.
Before utilizing one of the public areas in Town for exercise, check how busy it is. If you arrive at a public area and it seems crowded, wait for people to leave before deciding to walk or run. You can also try using a different location, like one of the many hiking trails or even walking around your neighborhood instead.
Continue social distancing while exercising. Keep a 6 foot distance between yourself and the individuals around you. If this does not seem feasible, try using an alternate location or coming back at a less popular time.
Wear a face covering. The Center for Disease Control recommends all individuals wear a face covering when in public areas. You can find instructions on how to make one on the North Andover Health Departments website.
Avoid going out in or creating groups at public areas. Going out to exercise alone or with one other person helps limit the number of individuals at one location. By not creating groups on site, it helps enforce social distancing measures.
Avoid stopping on the public pathway if possible. If you need to take a break or rest during your period of physical activity, move off to the side to allow others to pass.