Page 16 MVES to continue Meals on Wheels program By Christopher Roberson A midst of the chaos and disruption caused by COVID-19, Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) has vowed to continue its Meals on Wheels program. “Be assured, MVES will always let consumers know if services will be interrupted, reduced or cannot be delivered,” said MVES Spokesperson Shawn Middleton. “We are delivering extra shelf-stable meals to our consumers.” He also said MVES is considering the possibility of providing consumers with enough nonperishable food to last one week in THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 BAKER | FROM PAGE 6 the event of a shortfall in delivery personnel. “If our staff or consumers are not feeling well, there may be a temporary interruption or reduction in services,” said Middleton. Although MVES has temporarily suspended its home visitation service, staff members continue to be available over the phone. “Our staff is working either in the office or remotely and can reach out to our consumers at any point and our consumers can reach their care manager when needed,” said Middleton. “Our care managers are calling them on a regular basis to assess their well-being and need for services.” state services while taking necessary precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.” The suspension of educational programming would not necessarily affect the availability of school buildings for the provision of food or other essential noneducational services. The administration will provide additional guidance as the end of the closure approaches. The administration said it is “critical” that students and their families, as well as school staff, stay home as much as possible and strictly follow social distancing guidelines. School staff are urged to plan for “how best to equitably provide alternative access to student learning opportunities during this period and potentially beyond.” School personnel are also urged to find ways to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that families have access to essential nonacademic services for their children – particularly special education and food services. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will work with school districts to develop strategies and resources to sustain learning and vital services throughout this closure period. DESE has received a partial waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture providing greater flexibility regarding food service in certain districts with higher concentrations of low-income students, and DESE is pursuing additional waivers for the remaining schools and districts. All nonemergency state employees working in Executive Branch agencies were told not to report to their workplaces on March 16 and 17. The administration is working to expand alternative work arrangements for the Executive Branch workforce and develop plans to continue to provide essential state government services. All commercial insurers, self-insured plans and the Group Insurance Commission are required to cover medically necessary telehealth services related to COVID-19 testing and treatment. Insurers must do so without requiring cost-sharing of any kind, such as copays and coinsurance, for testing and treatment. Additionally, insurers cannot require prior authorization for these services. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Fire chief vows to press on in face of COVID-19 Dear Editor: As the Everett Fire Department continues to monitor the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that we are facing as a nation, we want to assure our community that the Everett Fire Department will continue to respond to any and all emergency calls. A priority that I have as Everett’s Fire Chief is to make sure the members of the Everett Fire Department are able to provide the utmost professional emergency response, but in order to do that, first and foremost I need to ensure that my department remains healthy and safe throughout any and all events. Please be aware when calling dispatch for any emergency you may be asked additional questions to reduce the potential exposures to our members. I would also like to notify the public that for the time being, the Everett Fire Department is suspending all fire station visits and apparatus tours to protect our members and visitors. This includes visits from family members of our department, as well. We always appreciate the gesture of our CHIEF | SEE PAGE 19 CHA EVERETT | FROM PAGE 3 tice in Massachusetts and “expedite the onboarding process of more licensed health care professionals.” Marylou Sudders, secretary of Health and Human Services, said PerkinElmer and Thermo Fisher Scientific have agreed to assist with COVID-19 testing.
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