Around Town

Watertown Square Post Office Closed Temporarily

By |

The U.S. Post Office in Watertown Square has closed with no known date for reopening, and lobby service will be sporadic. Watertown Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she was alerted by a resident about the closing of the post office on Main Street. “It has been brought to our attention that the U.S. Post Office at 126 Main St., in Watertown Sq., closed early on Saturday the 28th. A sign was posted on the door indicating unknown status for reopening,” Kounelis said. Kounelis spoke with officials at the USPS distribution center in Waltham, and was told that the resident was correct.

Around Town

VA System Closing Clinics During COVID-19, Red Cross Seeking Blood Donations

By |

The VA Boston Healthcare System will close clinics in the area to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), but will continue to provide services. Also, the Red Cross announced a shortage of blood. Access to the VA clinics in Boston, Framingham, Quincy and Plymouth will closed, but VA officials said they will provide outpatient care using virtual technology, such as telehealth, according to an NBC 10 Boston story. See more details in the NBC 10 story by clicking here. The Red Cross announced it faces a shortage of blood due to cancellations of blood drives due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Around Town

State Seeks Donations of Protective Equipment, Health Volunteers; Number of New Cases Lower

By |

Massachusetts officials will be taking donations of personal protection equipment (PPE), and seeks health professional volunteers to assist during the Coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the creation of the PPE Procurement and Donation Portal on Sunday. The state seeks donations of a variety of things, including: surgical masks, N95/99 respirator masks, gloves, goggles, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. See the entire list and how to donate by clicking here: https://www.mass.gov/forms/covid-19-donation-program. The state needs help dealing with the increasing number of cases of COVID-19.

Around Town

Coronavirus Cases Grow by 33% in Mass., Up in Watertown; FEMA Will Provide Assistance

By |

On the same day that Massachusetts had its largest increase in positive Coronavirus cases, FEMA announced it will make disaster assistance to the Bay State to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. Watertown also saw its positive cases grow by three. In Watertown, the cases increased from 24 to 27 in one day, according to the total provided on the Watertown Health Department’s website, and Middlesex County now has 847 cases. Massachusetts had 1,017 more cases and nine more deaths, according to according to Mass. Department of Public’s latest COVID-19 update on Saturday.

Around Town

Two Watertown Groups Get COVID-19 Grants from Tufts Health Plan Foundations

By |

The following information was provided by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation:

Tufts Health Plan Foundation has identified the first 21 organizations to receive support from the $1 million it has committed to community efforts on behalf of older people affected by coronavirus in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut. “This first wave of funding addresses one of the most pressing concerns facing older people — food insecurity,” said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan president and CEO. “These organizations are working on the front lines to meet critical needs and are well-positioned to respond to emerging priorities. Our communities depend on them, now more than ever.”

The organizations include area agencies on aging that provide meals and other support services to older people, food banks, and community organizations that are serving as hubs for collaborative regional responses. They include:

Massachusetts        $150,000

The Boston Foundation, COVID-19 Response Fund $25,000The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts $25,000The Greater Boston Food Bank $50,000Union Capital Boston, COVID-19 Fund $15,000Watertown Community Foundation, Community Resilience Fund $ 5,000Watertown Food Pantry (via Watertown Council on Aging) $ 5,000Worcester County Food Bank $25,000

Rhode Island                $125,000

Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island $25,000Rhode Island Community Food Bank $50,000United Way of Rhode Island, Rhode Island COVID-19 Response Fund $50,000

New Hampshire        $110,000

Granite United Way, COVID-19 Relief Fund $15,000Monadnock United Way, COVID-19 Relief Fund $15,000The New Hampshire Food Bank $50,000United Way of Greater Nashua, COVID-19 Emergent Needs Response Fund $15,000United Way of the Greater Seacoast, COVID-19 Family Fund $15,000

Connecticut                $100,000

Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut $10,000Connecticut Food Bank $50,000North Central Area Agency on Aging $10,000Senior Resources Agency on Aging $10,000Southwestern CT Agency on Aging and Independent Living $10,000Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging $10,000

“Communities and leaders are uniting to face this challenge,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan.

Around Town

Watertown Health Department’s Tips for Staying Healthy During COVID-19

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

The purpose of this notice is to remind our Residents here in Watertown of specific provisions and procedures that can be put in place in light of the New Coronavirus (COVID-19). We as a Health Department take great pride in the safety and well-being of our residents. To ensure we continue to operate this high standard and protect our community, we HIGHLY recommended the following guidelines:

RECCOMENDATIONS

Recommendations that may help you and your fellow residents during this time: Practice everyday preventive actions now. Remind everyone in your household of the importance of practicing everyday preventive actions that can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.Staying home from work, school, and all activities when you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms, which may include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.Keeping away from others who are sick.Limiting close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet).Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles) using a regular household detergent and water. o If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent and water prior to disinfection.

Around Town

UPDATED: Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Up to More Than a Dozen in Watertown, Parks Still Closed

By |

The sign posted at Watertown parks and fields reminding people that they are closed due to the Coronavirus. The number of Watertown residents who have tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached 15, as of Wednesday. Also, Town officials remind residents that parks and fields remained closed in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. The number of confirmed cases in town was published on the Town’s COVID-19 web page. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts has increased significantly over the past six days.

Around Town

Community Foundation Starting New Fund Respond to Impacts of the COVID-19 Emergency

By |

Looking for ways to help people in Watertown who are adversely impacted by the Coronavirus, the Watertown Community Foundation has created a new fund. Jan Singer, executive director of the Community Foundation, said the response to the Community Resilience Fund already been positive. The Foundation boards met remotely using Zoom to put together plans for the fund. “We know that this is going to be very difficult for a lot of people and it’s going to last for a while, we are assuming at this point,” Singer said. “We met together as a board and came up with an idea for the Resilience fund.