Around Town

Health Department Reminder for Labor Day About Limits on Gatherings Due to COVID-19

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The Watertown Health Department sent out the following announcement about Labor Day Gatherings and COVID-19:

As we are approaching the long weekend the Watertown Health Department would like to remind you of the guidance from the state regarding social gatherings and the importance of social distancing. For all gatherings there can only be eight people per 1,000 square feet with a maximum of 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors. Please remember to wash your hands often, wear face coverings, and maintain social distancing at all times. We are working together to stop the spread of COVID-19. Please remember that these guidelines are in place to protect each of us and our community.

Around Town

Rising COVID-19 Cases Concerns Watertown Health Director

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An upturn in the new COVID-19 cases concerns Watertown Health Director Larry Ramdin, who worries that the state may go back into more strict shutdown rules if the trend gets worse. During the first week of August, Watertown had its first COVID fatality reported since the second week of May, bringing the total to 24. For the first time in several weeks, the number of new positive COVID-19 cases is into the double digits in Watertown, and the state numbers are growing by around 2,000 a week. “People are going on vacation, it is summer, there is a little complacency,” Ramdin said. “People are going to social gatherings, they are not social distancing, not wearing face coverings, expose themselves.”

Around Town

Mosquito in Watertown Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Watertown, Massachusetts. In 2019, 8,295 mosquito samples were tested forWNV and 87 samples were positive. Watertown had no WNV positive mosquito samples identified in 2019. WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas.

Government

Heath Director: Watertown Complying With Face Mask Order, Worries About Complacency

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Watertown has one of the strictest face covering order, where people must wear them outside at all times or face fines, but the Town has taken an educate-first approach to enforcement. The state has a face covering requirement as one of the measures aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, and it requires people to wear something that covers their nose and mouth when inside a public space or outside when people cannot be 6 feet or more away from each other. The face coverings ordinance passed by the Watertown Board of Health in April requires face coverings being worn at all times while outside in public spaces such as sidewalks and on the street The ordinance also allows a Health Department employee or Watertown Police officer to issue a fine of up to $300. Watertown Director of Health Larry Ramdin said members of his department have spoken to people who were not wearing their masks, but no fines have been issued. “There has been significant compliance, we have (had) several conversations with those who choose not to wear a face covering,” Ramdin said.

Around Town

Tracking COVID-19 Deaths, Tracing Contacts of People Testing Positive is Tricky for Watertown Officials

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Details of the cause of death from the death certificate of a Watertown resident. Like many aspects of COVID-19, figuring out the exact number of deaths related to virus in Watertown is complicated and confusing. This is just one issue the Town of Watertown is facing, along with trying to trace contacts of people with active cases of the Coronavirus. The officially confirmed number of fatalities in Watertown, as of May 5, is 17 residents — up from 12 the previous day. When looking at the death certificates in the Town Clerk’s Office, as of May 4, 18 people who live in Watertown, or whose last known address was in Town had COVID-19 as one of the causes of death.

Around Town

Two More COVID-19 Deaths in Watertown, State Sees Largest Number of Positive Tests

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Watertown had its eighth and ninth Coronavirus-related deaths, the Health Department announced Thursday, and Massachusetts had more than 3,000 new positive tests for the virus. The town now has 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and nine fatalities — two more than the last update on Monday. Fifty people have recovered from the virus, according to the Watertown Health Department website. Also on Thursday, Massachusetts saw the largest number of new cases reported in one day, 3,079, according to the Mass. Department of Public Health website.

Around Town

Watertown Has a Third Positive Test for Coronavirus

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Watertown has a third positive test for Coronavirus, the Watertown Health Department announced Thursday, with the second case coming over the weekend. The Health Department said it cannot release information about the people who tested positive for COVID-19, including where they live and work. They said they are trying to track any people they may have been in contact with. In the statement about the second Watertown case, the Health Department indicated that the person had no link to the Watertown Public Schools. The announcement about the third case did not have that information (See the announcement farther below).

Around Town

Mass. Gov. Bans Gatherings, Over 25, Makes Restaurants Take-Out Only & Closes All Schools

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced some sweeping steps to try to control the outbreak of Coronavirus in Massachusetts Sunday evening, including limiting the size of gatherings, allowing restaurants only to serve take out meals and closing all the schools in the state. During the press conference he said there are no plans currently to have residents shelter in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. He did stress that people should only gather in small groups, according to a report on WCVB Channel 5. “These gatherings include all community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based events, sporting events with spectators, concerts, conventions and any similar event or activity that brings together 25 or more people in single room or a single space at the same time. This includes venues like fitness centers, private clubs and theaters,” Baker said.