Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, March 13, 2020 In Lieu of Rally, Gravellese to Launch Campaign with “Virtual Town Hall” Wednesday, March 18 J oe Gravellese will formally launch his campaign for State Representative in Revere, Chelsea and Saugus with a “Virtual Town Hall” on Facebook on Wednesday, March 18 at 7 PM, in lieu of holding a rally, mindful of concerns about public gatherings in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19. “I’m excited to begin meeting residents all over the district and schedule an in-person event as soon as it’s prudent to do so,” said Gravellese. “But in the interest of public health, especially for seniors, it makes sense to start by introducing myself and my plans to voters online. I’ll host a video conference on Facebook next Wednesday night, talk about my agenda for a better Massachusetts, and answer questions submitted by residents virtually.” 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.” “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 who get sick will be able to reSaugus Faith Notes he latest listing of upcoming events and programs at Saugus places of worship. T Corned Beef & Cabbage Supper at First Congregational The First Congregational Church in Saugus Center will host its popular Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Supper tomorrow (Saturday, March 14) from 5 to 7 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. The menu consists of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, Irish soda bread, drinks and dessert. The cost is a $12 per person donation. Tickets can be reserved by calling 781-233-3028 and will be available at the door. Come celebrate an early St. Patrick’s Day with some good food and good fellowship! Helping hungry students The Saugus United ParCOVID-19 | from page 7 11, and will be revisited in 30 days or sooner as circumstances dictate. The full details are as follows: • All work-related travel, both foreign and domestic, is to be discontinued until further notice. Executive Branch employees are also strongly encouraged to avoid any personal international travel. • Conferences, seminars and other discretionary gatherings, scheduled and hosted by Executive Branch agencies involving external parties, are to be held virtually or cancelled. Regular internal business shall continue, including but not limited to mandated public hearings and board meetings. Meeting organizers are strongly encouraged to utilize alternatives like conference calls, WebEx and other group communication tools. • Additionally, Executive Branch employees should not attend external work-related conferences, seminars or events. Alternatively, Executive Branch employees are encouraged to participate remotely. • Executive Branch employees feeling sick with fever or flu symptoms should not come into work. Information available to date regarding COVID-19 indicates that the highest risk population includes older adults and individuals with serious chronic medical conditions. Employees in this risk group are encouraged to talk with their supervisors to review possible alternative work assignments. These actions complement additional precautions that have been undertaken in recent days, including encouraging proper self-care and hygiene, such as washing hands, ensuring bathrooms are stocked with hand-washing materials and paper products, frequently cleaning touch points, such as doorknobs, handles, elevator buttons and common area surfaces, and making cleaning products and sanitizers available in all Executive Branch workspaces. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has been activated and is bringing together health, human services, public safety and several other government agencies. The Administration also issued updated guidance to members of the public. This guidance is posted on the website of the Department of Public Health (DPH): www.mass. gov/2019coronavirus. The Administration urges ish Food Pantry – in collaboration with the Saugus Faith Community, the Saugus School Superintendent and area businesses and organizations – is running an initiative called “Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus” that aims to address food insecurity in the Saugus public school system. Volunteers are always welcome to help bag groceries. See the days and times listed: older adults and those with health issues to avoid large crowds and events. Individuals who live in households with vulnerable people, like elderly parents, should also consider avoiding crowds. The DPH was expected to distribute guidance to longterm care facility operators. This guidance will outline how these facilities should protect elderly residents at higher risk for COVID-19. This will include banning visitors who show signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat). Visitors will be prohibited if in the last 14 days they had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, are under investigation for COVID-19 or have been sick. Visitors will be prohibited if they have travelled internationally in the last 14 days or are residing in a community where community-based spread of COVID-19 is occurring. Visitors will not be allowed to visit long-term care facilities if they currently feel sick or exhibit symptoms. On public transportation, the MBTA will continue to disinfect surfaces and vehicles in line with its new cleaning protocol, but the Administration encourages older adults and those with underlying health issues to avoid large Bagging groceries, 1st Thursday of the month at 7 p.m.; St. John’s Episcopal Church, 8 Prospect St. Bagging groceries, 2nd Thursday of the month at 4 p.m.; Cliftondale Church of the Nazarene, 60 Essex St. Bagging groceries, 3rd Thursday of the month at 7 p.m.; Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Summer St. Bagging grocer ies, 4th Thursday of the month at 4 crowds if possible. Regarding K-12 schools, the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education (DESE) is providing local schools with relief from attendance and school year requirements so that schools have the flexibility to make decisions on temporary closures due to COVID-19 concerns. More specifically: • The longest that any school district will be required to go is its scheduled 185th day. No schools will be required to be in session after June 30. • For accountability purposes for school year 201920, DESE will calculate chronic absenteeism as of Monday, March 2, 2020, and disregard all attendance data for the remainder of the school year. DESE Commissioner Jeff Riley is strongly urging all districts to cancel all out-ofstate travel at this time. This is in addition to the Administration’s existing request for schools to cancel international trips. The DPH will be issuing updated guidance to Superintendents on how to address cases that arise at a school, including potential school closures. The Administration will continue to update the public on further developments, and individuals are encourp.m.; First Congregational Church UCC, 300 Central St. Calling all faiths Got a special event at your parish that you would like to tell the community about? Email the information under the subject line Saugus Advocate Faith Notes to mvoge@comcast.net. There is no charge for letting the public know about your event. aged to consult both the DPH and the CDC websites for the most up-to-date information. For more information regarding COVID-19 as issued from the Massachusetts DPH, please access https://www. mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-ofcoronavirus. For a flyer recently issued by DPH, please access https://www.mass. gov/doc/stop-the-spread-ofgerms-respiratory-diseases. The DPH webpage at https://www.mass.gov/ guides/information-on-theoutbreak-of-2019-novel-co has the following: • Overview • Information for travelers arriving in the United States • What is coronavirus? • How do coronaviruses spread? • What do we know about the source and spread of COVID-19? • Prevention • Treatment • Guidance and recommendations • Printable fact sheets For additional information from the CDC, please visit this page: https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ index.html. The DPH and CDC websites are updated on a regular basis, and additional local information will be posted on this page as it becomes available. cover 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 fixing Massachusetts’ transportation system, addressing the state’s affordability concerns, and promoting clean energy.
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