COVID-19 Update for 4/25/20 and Information on Applying for Small Business COVID-19 Relief Funds

• Case Counts: As of 11:30 a.m. today, April 25, a total of 460 Somerville residents have tested positive for COVID-19, 163 of them have since recovered, and sadly there have been six deaths.
• Somerville Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund applications available: The City is now accepting applications for the Somerville Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund, which will provide forgivable loans of up to $10,000 to Somerville businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Monday, May 11. Relief funds can be used for working capital expenses, including but not limited to rent or mortgage payments, payroll expenses including healthcare, and utility expenses. To learn more about eligibility requirements and to apply, visit somervillema.gov/BizRelief. Visit somervillema.gov/covidbizhelp for more business resources.
• More federal relief coming for small businesses: On Thursday, Congress passed another $484 billion relief package including $321 billion to fund the Paycheck Protection Program, which is intended to aid distressed small businesses. The City’s Economic Development team is working intensively to help local businesses access this funding via local banks. For more information and assistance, please visit somervillema.gov/CovidBizHelp.
• Work as a COVID-19 Contact Tracer by phone: Partners in Health is hiring a large number of Contact Tracers, Resource Coordinators and Case Investigators to reach out to all Massachusetts contacts of COVID patients by phone, counsel them on testing and quarantine, refer them for testing, and connect them to necessary resources throughout their quarantine. This is in tandem with Commonwealth-wide efforts to increase testing, improve communication, and implement isolation and quarantine. Apply HERE. More details HERE.
• Now something fun: PorchFest to become CouchFest on May 9: Not to be deterred by a global pandemic, the Somerville Arts Council’s beloved PorchFest will go online this year via videos and Facebook Live concerts. Bands can find info on how to sign up at somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest. Registration for performers is open until May 7. Everyone else, be sure to mark your calendars (if you can remember where they are).

Today’s Assistance Tip: New Private Student Loan Relief

If you have commercially owned Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFELP) or privately held student loans and lost some or part of your income because of COVID-19 you may be eligible for new relief options including:

• 90-day forbearance (postponement of payments)
• No late payment fees
• No negative credit reporting
• Enrollment in a different type of payment plan

To find out what relief you can get, you must contact your loan provider. If you don’t know who your loan provider is, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

Today’s Public Health Tip: Don’t Let COVID Fears Delay Medical Care in an Emergency

Healthcare workers around the state are urging the public to not delay seeking medical treatment in an emergency. If you have an injury or illness that you would normally call 911 or visit the emergency room for, you should still do that. Even though hospitals are busy caring for COVID-19 patients, they are still available for other types of care and have taken measures to keep non-COVID patients safe. Delaying medical attention in an emergency could make the illness or injury more serious. Doctors have cited lifelong debilitating consequences for patients including amputations, as well as extreme pain that could have been avoided if patients had not delayed coming in. So, please, always seek help right away. This short video message from six Boston hospitals sums it all up.