Page 6 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020 Suffolk County Sheriff's Department taking proactive steps against threat of COVID-19 A midst the global outbreak of COVID-19, the Suff olk County Sheriff 's Department is taking proactive action to prevent potential exposure to the virus by staff and the men and women in Department care and custody. The Department is monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation closely, and, thus far, there have been a limited-but-growing number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts. According to Mass. gov, as of March 11, in Massachusetts there were six confi rmed cases and 89 presumptive cases, with 19 of these cases occurring within the communities of Suff olk County. In accordance with state guidelines and recommendations, the Department is taking steps to minimize the possible exposure of staff and inmates and detainees, and to maintain a safe work place by reviewing, and where necessary, adopting new practices to protect the health of all employees and inmates while the Department’s mission is performed. CAMPAIGN | FROM PAGE 4 Residents can email questions in advance to info@joegrav.com. The campaign’s Facebook page, where the Virtual Town Hall will be streamed live, can be accessed at www.facebook.com/ joegrav. Speaking on the coronavirus, Gravellese added that “residents should not panic, but should continue to take note of reliable sources on public health and take proper precautions.” The Department is taking the following steps: • Increasing orders for personal safety equipment, including gloves, masks, hand sanitizers and dispensers, soap and paper towels • Communicating with staff through postings, roll calls and e-mails about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and reminding them about effective methods to safeguard against it • Increasing the regular cleaning and sanitizing of communal surfaces and frequently touched objects • Disinfecting transport vehicles regularly • Suspending all inmate/detainee visits, except for attorney visits • Restricting volunteers and outside program staff and activities • Coordinating with medical and food vendors to ensure preparedness • Developing contingency plans to address the potential needs of the institu“From working closely with the state’s Department of Public Health during my career, I know that we are fortunate to have some of the world’s foremost experts on public health working right here in the Commonwealth. We should take their guidance seriously as it becomes available. “The goal in the coming weeks is to make sure that the virus spreads less quickly, so that our hospitals and clinics aren’t overwhelmed. If we do that, people tions should an inmate(s)/ detainee(s) be diagnosed with COVID-19, in addition to a host of other measures With respect to the temporary suspension of inmate and detainee visits, the Department will be providing the opportunity for them to make a call to family members and friends to notify them of the temporary restriction. Attorneys will continue to have access to Department facilities for client visits. For more information concerning visits and/or contacting your friend or loved one, call the House of Correction at (617) 635-1000 x 2007 of the Suff olk County Jail at (617) 635-1100 x 3001. For additional information about COVID-19, please visit the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at https://www.mass. gov/resource/information-onthe-outbreak-of-coronavirusdisease-2019-covid-19. who get sick will be able to recover more quickly.” Residents interested in learning more about Gravellese’s campaign for State Representative can visit www.joegrav.com. Gravellese, a Revere native and graduate of Revere High School, entered the race for State Representative this week, running a campaign focused on fi xing Massachusetts’ transportation system, addressing the state’s aff ordability concerns, and promoting clean energy. at 781-286-8500 or Info@advocatenews.net call he A For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers cate Ne spapers
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