April 11, 2020 – COVID-19 Update, Information on Support Resources

Dear Community Members,

Here is a COVID-19 update for Saturday, April 11.

Please also be sure to check somervillema.gov/coronavirus for additional information and resources that are updated frequently.

Latest News

• Case Counts: As of 11 a.m. today, April 11, a total of 226 Somerville residents have tested positive for COVID-19, 70 of them have since recovered, and there has been one death.
• Mayor Curtatone announces 311 COVID-19 Community Support Team: You can now call specialized 311 team members with your health and support service questions (more info below).
• Street-Sweeping Start Delayed Again, Will Now Start Monday, May 4th: To prevent residents from having to move their cars during the statewide Stay At Home Order, street sweeping will now start one-month late on Monday, May 4th (not on April 1). More info on this and other services here.
• Mayor Curtatone and Board of Health Issue Face Covering Order: Starting immediately, everyone age 2 and older in Somerville should wear a clean face covering, such as a fabric mask, scarf, or bandana, over their mouth and nose when in any public establishment or common area of multi-unit housing of office buildings, and also when in parks, on paths, or in other shared community spaces. It is not safe for infants and toddlers under the age of 2 to wear a face mask/covering, and anyone with difficulty breathing or who is unable to remove a mask/covering on their own should also not wear a mask/covering. More details and tips on how to safely use and make face coverings here (no sewing machine needed).
• Update on Unemployment for Self-Employed, 1099 Workers: This week, the state announced that they will begin accepting unemployment applications from self-employed workers on April 30th. They have hired a vendor to create a web platform by that date to handle the applications. We know this period has been especially hard for our community’s many gig workers, artists, contract workers, freelancers, consultants, and other self-employed 1099 workers. We are monitoring this daily and posting updates at gov/CoronaVirusHelp. If you need support in the interim, CoronaVirusHelp also links to other resources.
• A brief moment of normalcy: We thought you’d like to know that between sanitizing park benches and deep-cleaning public facilities, DPW has still been filling potholes. We look forward to the day when potholes are back at the top of our spring priorities.

Today’s Assistance Tip: COVID-19 Community Support Team

This week 311 expanded its service with the addition of the COVID-19 Community Support Team - a group of trained, expert volunteers who can provide support for COVID-19 related questions. They won’t be giving direct medical advice, but Community Support Team members can help with things like how to isolate or quarantine safely, navigating financial assistance, food access, submitting online requests for assistance, and finding additional resources or support. The Community Support Team is available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. by calling 3-1-1 (TTY 866-808-4851) or 617-666-3311 from outside the City. Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish-speaking operators are also available during regular business hours, and if someone calls 311 who speaks a language that 311 staff cannot speak, a third-party translation service will join the call.

Today’s Public Health Tip: What can I do if I feel unsafe in my home?

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Courts are closed except for emergencies, but Restraining Orders and Section 35 applications can be filed at the Somerville Police Department during regular court hours 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Emergency Restraining orders can also be filed in person at the Somerville Police Department any time outside of court hours. The Police Department is located at 220 Washington St., and you can call 617-625-1212 for more information.

There are many places you can get help if you’re experiencing physical, emotional, sexual, or other types of abuse. Resources include:

• RESPOND Inc. at 617-623-5900. RESPOND Inc. is a Somerville-based organization with a 24-hour crisis hotline. They can also provide local resources and referrals.
• The National Domestic Hotline is available 24 hours a day via phone at 1-800-799-7233, text by sending “LOVEIS” to 22522, TTY: 1-800-787-3224, and chat at thehotline.org. En Español
• The Crisis Text Line offers 24-hour access to crisis counselors. Text “CONNECT” to 741741.
• RAINN’s National Sexual Abuse Hotline is available by phone at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or live chat athotline.rain.org/online 24 hours a day.
• The Boston Rape Crisis Center operates a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-841-8371 and live chat support from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For more information and regular COVID-19 updates, visit www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus and sign up for City alerts at www.somervillema.gov/Alerts. We urge you to sign up for every alert method you are able to receive: phone call, text, email. Also follow FB.com/SomervilleCity and @SomervilleCity.