An Update From Our South Boston Liaison

From Our City Office of  Neighborhood Services Liaison, Haley Dillon

updated 03.15.20: 

   The Coronavirus is a serious public health emergency. The City of Boston has been taking aggressive action to stay on top of it, and keep people healthy and safe. The safety of our students, families, teachers, staff, and school communities has been at the center of our concerns. 

   Mayor Walsh announced last Friday that starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Boston Public Schools will close to students. This is out of an abundance of caution to ensure that we are taking action to protect our students, our families, and our teachers. The intention is to reopen our schools the week of April 27, which is the week after April vacation. However, if the situation in Boston with Coronavirus changes for the better, we will bring students back to school before April 27. Although there is no evidence showing that anyone in the BPS community has the #coronavirus, we are acting early and with urgency to ensure the health and safety of the community.

   As of Friday March 13th, 2020. There have been 25 confirmed cases in Boston. 

   As we continue to receive updates, we will share those with you. 

I wanted to share with you updates regarding the City of Boston's response to Coronavirus and how it impacts the way we conduct business. The most up to date daily information will be shared via boston.gov/coronavirus including fact sheets, new cases being reported, CDC guidelines and City of Boston restrictions or event postponements.

As the news regarding the coronavirus continues to evolve, together with our public health and public safety partners, The City of Boston is committed to identifying actions we can take collectively to prevent the spread of this virus and protect people from exposure. The Boston Public Health Commission and Boston EMS are preparing for all scenarios involving coronavirus to ensure we will have a safe and effective response. 

Our first priority remains to keep the people of Boston safe & healthy. It is our hope that by taking preventative steps now, we will mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in Boston. We will continue monitoring the situation and will keep you informed as we learn more.

As of Tuesday, March 10, 2020, the City of Boston has 18 presumptive cases of coronavirus in Boston residents. If these 18 cases are confirmed by the CDC we will have 19 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Boston residents. This information is being updated daily on boston.gov/coronavirus. 

Out of an abundance of caution, the City of Boston has canceled the St. Patrick’s Day parade that was scheduled for 3/15/20. We all have a role to play in protecting ourselves and our communities. By taking simple steps that reduce the spread of infectious diseases, we can ensure the health of ourselves and our neighbors.

Governor Baker has also declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts. Visit boston.gov/coronavirus or bphc.org to get the latest updates.

On March 11, 2020, the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Public Health Commission announced the closure of the Eliot K-8 School campus until March 19, 2020 due to Coronavirus concerns. The decision to close schools district-wide has not been made yet, however, The City of Boston is evaluating all options and planning around how to support school communities should we close. BPS understands that families throughout the district may choose to keep students at home. If families decide not to send students to school, the absence should be accompanied by a parent/guardian letter or email to the school. These absences will be excused. Please call 311 for the most up to date information about Boston Public Schools.

Mayor Walsh, Governor Baker, the BAA and John Hancock announced that The 124^th Boston Marathon will be postponed to September 14^th, 2020. Registered participants and volunteers will receive additional information in the coming days. 

With the exception of public hearings and public meetings that are subject to the Open Meeting Law, the City of Boston will postpone events or meetings expected to have an attendance of over 25 people. This is consistent with CDC guidelines which discourage large gatherings and encourage the practice of social distancing. Learn more about social distancing at boston.gov under "Common Questions."

Following guidance issued by Mayor Walsh recommending the postponement or cancellation of public meetings with 25 people or more, the BPDA is postponing all BPDA-hosted public meetings regarding Article 80 development projects and planning studies until further notice. At this time, this excludes monthly BPDA Board Meetings, Boston Zoning Commission meetings, and Boston Civic and Design Commission (BCDC) meetings due to regulatory and statutory requirements. Extra precautions will be taken during these meetings to encourage social distancing. Please continue to follow along here or sign up for BPDAupdates. 

The following City of Boston meetings in South Boston have been postponed until further notice. As other events get postponed, I will keep you informed. 

- 3/14/20 2020 Housing Expo 

- 3/16/20 401 Congress St/Massport Parcel Public Meeting 

- 3/17/20 Dorchester Heights Association Meeting 

- 3/18/20 BCYF Curley Community Center Public Meeting 

- 3/19/20 472 W Broadway Public Meeting 

- 3/21/20 BCYF Spelling Bee

- 3/23/20 515-519 E Second St Public Meeting 

- 3/26/20 South Boston Dot Ave Transportation Plan Open House Kick-Off 

- 3/28/20 Youth Job and Resource Fair 

Please note that FPNA is exploring options to provide a virtual meeting to replace the March 23rd  Fort Point Seaport Neighborhood Gathering. 

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originally published 03.13.20