Town of North Andover Updates on COVID-19 response
CONNECT WITH US: Text COVIDNA to 67283
December 18, 2020 UPDATE
Total case count: 1454
Active: 304
Recovered and out of isolation: 1097
COVID-19 Related Deaths: 53
Active Merrimack cases (included in case count): 12
Dear Neighbors,
The Town of North Andover remained a higher risk/red community this week according to the COVID 19 community data map released by the state Over the two week period reported, the Town had 366 cases with an 86.3 average daily incident rate per 100,000 population and a 7.21% positivity rate. This is higher than last week.
As families all over the Commonwealth are beginning to engage in family-oriented holiday festivities, we ask you to do so in a manner that will keep interactions and any family gatherings to a minimum this holiday season. We have seen a dramatic increase in overall cases and family clusters over the past month and we want to do our part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community and to protect our families. Please protect your family, friends and loved ones this holiday season. Please take a look at some holiday suggestions from the North Andover Health Department.
For the safety of our employees and residents, non-essential town employees will be working remotely until January 4. The library, town hall, and senior center will all be closed to the public during this time. The library and youth center will be running limited programming. Employees are available by phone and email to serve residents. For information on individual department’s hours, please contact that office directly. The COVID-19 hotline is still available at 978-208-6070 and covid19@northandoverma.gov.
The CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued updated quarantine recommendations. That new information can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-isolation-and-quarantine-information
The Police Department through its Cram-a-Cruiser drive event and Town Hall employees through their From Our Hearts to Your Homes drive are collecting food and other personal items to distribute to residents in need.
ALL residents are eligible and can pick-up food and/or supplies at the Senior Center. Hours of operation and contact information are below:
North Andover Senior Center
120R Main Street (behind Town Hall)
Mondays & Wednesday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Special Pick-Up – Saturday, December 19, 2020 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
(978) 688-9560
If you travel you will need to quarantine when you return to Massachusetts. If you return from travel and need a COVID-19 test, more information about the Stop the Spread sites is available here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stop-the-spread
You can find updated information regarding the Governor’s travel order here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
All of Governor Baker’s emergency orders can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-state-of-emergency
Technical Assistance for Small Businesses: Through its partnership with the Lawrence Partnership, Essex County Community Foundation, the City of Lawrence, and the Town of Andover, the Town of North Andover is able to offer FREE opportunities for technical assistance (TA) to small businesses seeking help with how to operate during these challenging times. There are a few TA service providers for businesses to select, some of which focus on specific types of businesses, like restaurants or salons/personal services businesses. To learn more, visit: www.mvopenforbusiness.org
For more information on additional resources for small businesses and employers, Click Here.
As more and more businesses, restaurants and activities remain open, we continue to encourage the community to stay diligent in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Many of the things that you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses such as the flu, include:
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Wear a face covering or mask whenever in public.
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Physical or social distancing whenever in public and as much as possible.
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Avoid large gatherings especially as it gets colder and more events are being held inside.
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Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
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Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
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Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
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Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
Please join us in stressing this to your family, friends and neighbors.
If you get a COVID-19 test for any reason, especially if you are not feeling well then please isolate until you receive your test results. It is also important to isolate yourself from your family members if possible. The majority of the transmission we are seeing is from household contacts. Please be aware and protect your family. These steps are of the utmost importance and reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Due to the volume of positive cases across the State of Massachusetts, the Community Tracing Collaborative (CTC) was developed to aid Local Boards of Health in the tracing of close contacts in each community. By answering the call from the CTC, you can do your part in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. Your caller ID will show the call is coming from
MA COVID Team with area codes (833) or (857).
We understand that you may need to go to potentially crowded public places and stores so please follow our Tips to Shop Safely during COVID-19, found here.
The COVID-19 hotline is still 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 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.
We will continue to monitor this situation and will distribute necessary information and guidance.
Best,
Melissa Rodrigues, Esq.
Town Manager
