5

THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 Page 5 ~ OP-ED ~ Please Stay Home By Mayor Brian M. Arrigo S aturday, I cruised Revere Beach in our Mobile City Hall. I wasn’t there to enjoy the sunshine and the sights. Using a bullhorn, I came to deliver a crucial message to the crowds of people who congregated along the seawall and gathered under the gazebos and played games in the sand: Separate. Stop the close, personal interaction. If at all possible, please stay home. That’s an unusual message for a Mayor to shout to people enjoying our beach. But these are unusual times. In fact, these are dangerous times. I would stand atop City Hall and shout the same message to everyone in our community. Please stay home. The COVID-19 virus that has invaded Revere, our Commonwealth, our country and our world threatens everyone in a manner that strains our ability to comprehend. But it is real. Right now, there is no easy cure and no treatment. But every one of us can do a few simple things to slow the disease’s spread and save lives. We can wash our hands and keep social distance. That certainly helps. Still, there is only one sure way to stop the spread: Please stay home. All of us have heard continuously from medical experts that this disease is so dangerous because any of us can be carrying it before we experience symptoms. During the time before we experience symptoms, we can convey the virus to every person Governor Announces Additional Steps to Encourage Social Distancing at State Parks and Beaches Coastal State Beach Parking Areas Will Temporarily Close; Select Seasonal State Parks to Open Early B OSTON — Governor Charlie Baker Thursday issued an emergency order requiring all coastal beach reservation parking areas managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to close eff ective 12:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020 to reduce large concentrations of people at beaches during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, eff ective 12:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020, DCR will open select seasonal state parks early and expand access at other parks to provide additional open space opportunities for residents to enjoy and alternatives to popular state parks throughout the Commonwealth. Coastal parkways that provide access to state beaches will also be closed to both parking and dropping off passengers. State beaches will remain open and available to pedestrians for transitory use only (walking, jogging, biking, solitary fi shing, etc.). State parks and associated parking areas remain open at this time; however, the public is asked to visit state parks and other open space properties that are located near their homes to ensure social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, DCR’s agency-owned ice rinks, visitor centers, campgrounds, playgrounds, fitness areas, athletic fi elds, athletic courts, golf courses, and bathroom facilities will remain closed until Monday, May 4, 2020. DCR will also be limiting the amount of parking spaces available at certain high-visitation state parks. DCR continues to stress that if a park is crowded, visitors should consider visiting a diff erent location or returning at a later date or time. The state parks system has over 450,000 acres of property, and every region of the state contains multiple parks to explore that may be less busy than others in the area. DCR advises visitors of state parks to: • Stay within solitary or small groups, and avoid gatherings of ten or more people; • Practice social distancing of at least six feet between individuals; • Participate in only noncontact recreational activities; • Practice healthy personal hygiene, such as handwashing for at least 20 seconds; and, • Stay home if ill, over 70, and/or part of a vulnerable population. To centralize COVID-19 updates that impact the state GOVERNOR | SEE PAGE 15 800.657.3272 EBSB.com Member FDIC/Member DIF with whom we come in contact. Subsequently, they can convey it to every person with whom they come in contact, and those people then can convey it, and on and on…you get the picture. Only by self-quarantine, by essentially eliminating our personal contact with the public, can we break the chain of virus transmission. Is it fun? No. Is it inconvenient? Yes. Does it come with some personal sacrifi ce? Absolutely. But it will save lives. I cannot emphasize that enough: It will save lives. The virus has hit Revere especially hard. The numbers continue to rise every day, well over 100 and climbing. So does the death toll, which stands at fi ve as I write this. Sadly, both numbers likely will be higher by the time you read this. While the virus is a known threat, an even greater threat is the treacherous attitude that “all is well.” Although most people are abiding the warnings passed on by federal, state, and local offi cials, a small number among us are not taking the warnings seriously. And so we end up with the situation we saw at Revere Beach and elsewhere: people outdoors mingling, playing games that involve close contact such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball. In the current circumstances, these activities can produce deadly results. Every one of us is threatened when any one of us ignores the warnings. Elucd, a government statistical tracking company, reports that three per cent of Americans are “not worried” or “not worried at all” about harm to a loved one from COVID-19. I am afraid they are wrong. Their behavior threatens the 97 per cent of people who are rightly concerned about the virus effects. Elucd also reports that 14 per cent of Americans are still doing little to nothing to help slow the spread of the virus. That attitude, that cavalier behavior, threatens you and your family. Thousands of essential workers are risking their own safety and health to help us through this ordeal. Medical workers, fi rst responders, food supply personnel, volunteers assisting those in need have no choice but to be out. Literally, they are coming face-to-face with a virus that terrorizes a population. If you ignore basic warnings, if you are unwilling to make some small sacrifi ce to your personal pleasure, you endanger and insult your courageous neighbors who are exhausting themselves to curtail this menace. I’ve seen a sign that sums up quite succinctly a point we should take to heart: “You are not stuck at home; you are safe at home.” If the words of this newspaper page can be shouted loud and wide, my message follows that statement: Please stay home. If you can be at home, that’s exactly where you must be. The sooner we all adhere to that message, the sooner we can return to our beach and our playgrounds, to our favorite restaurants and our places of worship. Staying home now will make sooner the day that we can gather with our friends, and return to a lifestyle that we will never again take for granted. East Boston Savings Bank is here for you. As a 172-year old Boston Bank, East Boston Savings Bank has a rich history of servicing the City of Boston and its surrounding communities. The foundation that we honor are integrity, strength and hard work for all our customers. It is our tradition to be responsive to the needs of people like you and businesses like yours during good times and challenging times. We have seen and been through past events that have affected the country and the world. As we navigate through this pandemic together, please know that we are here for you. I assure you that East Boston Savings Bank remains your strong neighborhood bank, supporting you, your family, your business and your community. It’s because of your trust in us - and our faith in you – we will make it through these events together. Trust that we are in this for the long-haul, right by your side. Our branch office doors will remain open as long as we can assure the safety of you and our employees. Online Banking, Mobile Banking, ATMs and our Automated 24-Hour Telephone Banking System (866-774-7705) are always an alternative banking option for you – visit ebsb.com for more information. As always, your deposits are 100% guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Depositors Insurance Fund. I understand there are a bunch of unknowns with this pandemic but know this; East Boston Savings Bank has endured many devastating events in the past and has come through each of these stronger and more committed to our customers than ever. Thank you for trusting in East Boston Savings Bank. Stay safe and we look forward to continuing working hard for you. Sincerely Richard J. Gavegnano G President, CEO and Chairman East Boston Savings Bank ih

6 Publizr Home