THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020 Page 17 Mass. RMV advises to renew licenses online now; upgrade to REAL ID in 2021 for free Customers who renew standard license online at Mass.Gov/RMV before Aug. 12 will have $25 REAL ID upgrade fee waived upon future return visit to a Service Center QUINCY – The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is encouraging all eligible customers to renew their standard Massachusetts driver’s license or Massachusetts ID card online at Mass.Gov/RMV anytime between now and August 12, 2020, in order to qualify for a free upgrade to a REAL ID credential in 2021. This one-time, time-limited offer is available to most customers who have an expired or expiring license or ID card dated between June 23, 2018, and August 2021, as customers are eligible to renew up to a year in advance of the expiration date printed on their license or ID, or up to two years after their expiration. “The RMV is encouraging all of our customers to stay safe, save time, and go online during the COVID-19 pandemic to renew their license or ID card, rather than attempting to come in to get a REAL ID,” said RMV Registrar Jamey Tesler. “Over 500,000 people have a license or ID credentials that expires this summer that can be renewed online, and we hope they will all take advantage of this one-time off er for a free, future upgrade to allow the RMV to prioritize ‘social-distancing’ and other essential transactions that may only be completed in-person.” Qualifying customers who complete their renewal online prior to August 12 and wish to upgrade to a REAL ID for free will have to wait until at least February 2021 to visit an RMV Service Center. At this time, customers will not need a federally-compliant REAL ID for the purposes of boarding domestic fl ights prior to October 1, 2021, because the federal government delayed the compliance eff ective date by one year. The fee for obtaining a standard or REAL ID license is $50, while the fee for obtaining a standard or REAL ID card is $25. The typical $25 upgrade/amendment fee will be waived under these qualifying circumstances. A limited digital campaign – “Stay Safe, Save Time, Go Online” – will also accompany this promotion and can be viewed at this link: wa3Q. https://youtu.be/B3NuHgTObtaining an initial federallycompliant REAL ID requires all customers to visit a Service Center in person to present verifying documents. The RMV has introduced this initiative and fee waiver pursuant to Executive Order 39 issued by Governor Charlie Baker on June 12, 2020, and in light of the COVID-19 public health emergency to encourage ‘socialdistancing’ and limit unnecessary travel by reducing the need for many customers to visit a Service Center, and allowing for the prioritization of essential in person needs by appointment-only. Customers should take the following steps to determine their online renewal eligibility and to qualify for this off er: • Visit Mass.Gov/RMV; log on to your “myRMV” account, and fi nd out if you are permitted to renew online. • Renew online by August 12 – your new standard license or ID card will be sent to you via U.S. Mail. The cost for renewing a driver’s license is $50. The cost for renewing an ID card is $25. These costs are the same for both a standard or REAL ID license or ID card. The cost for upgrading or amending a license or ID card outside of your renewal cycle is $25, which will be waived for participating, eligible RMV customers. Customers who renew online will have to wait until at least February 2021 to make an appointment for a REAL ID and have their $25 upgrade/amendment fee waived. Anyone who holds a valid U.S. passport or other federally-compliant form of identifi cation may never need an RMV-issued REAL ID. As a service to its members, AAA continues to issue REAL ID credentials for AAA members only, and members should make an appointment before visiting an AAA location. While the RMV has previously announced the below automatic extensions to certain expiring licenses and ID cards, all eligible customers are encouraged to take advantage of this off er by renewing online prior to August 12. • Driver’s licenses and ID cards that expired or will expire in March, April and May 2020 will now expire in September 2020. • Driver’s licenses and ID cards that will expire in June have been extended until October 2020. • Driver’s licenses and ID cards that will expire in July have been extended until November 2020. • Driver’s licenses and ID cards that will expire in August have been extended until December 2020. All RMV customers are encouraged to visit www.Mass.Gov/RMV to renew their license or ID card, and complete one of over 40 other transactions available online or by mail or phone. For details on these and other credential expiration date extensions and additional information on RMV service offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit www.mass. gov/rmv or https://www.mass. gov/info-details/rmv-covid-19-information. ~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS....NEW CONDO CONVERSION offers 5 rooms. This amazing Condex/Townhouse has been completely gutted, offers 3 bedrooms and full bath, NEW, gourmet kitchen with NEW gas heat, central air, common deck and front farmers porch, maintenance-free vinyl siding, oversized, detached garage and newly paved driveway. Convenient side street location. BEAUTIFUL unit - you will be impressed! Condo Fee $76.43 per month. View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. Why High Blood Pressure is Even More Dangerous in the COVID-19 Era Dear Savvy Senior, Are people with high blood pressure at increased risk of getting coronavirus? Hypertensive Helen Dear Helen, If you have high blood pressure, you defi nitely need to take extra care to protect yourself during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Research shows that people with hypertension are more susceptible to getting COVID-19, are more likely to develop severe symptoms if they do get sick, and are more likely to die from the infection, especially if they’re older. High Risk Links A weaker immune system is the key reason people with high blood pressure and other health problems are at higher risk for coronavirus. Long-term health conditions and aging weaken the immune system so it’s less able to fi ght off the virus. Nearly twothirds of Americans over 60 have high blood pressure. Another concern that has been circulating, but was put to rest last month, were theories that the medications that are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure – ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) – could make patients more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, and more susceptible to severe illness if they did become infected. But new research published in The New England Journal of Medicine last month found no risk linked to these medications. COVID Complications While pneumonia is the most common complication of the virus, it can also damage the cardiovascular system. That’s why people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart failure are at risk. High blood pressure damages arteries and reduces the fl ow of blood to your heart. That means your heart has to work harder to pump enough blood. Over time, this extra work can weaken your heart to the point where it can’t pump as much oxygen-rich blood to your body. Coronavirus can also damage the heart directly, which can be especially risky if your heart is already weakened by the eff ects of high blood pressure. The virus may cause infl ammation of the heart muscle, which makes it harder for the heart to pump. If you also have plaque buildup in your arteries, the virus may make those plaques more likely to break apart and cause a heart attack. Studies have shown that people with heart disease who get a respiratory illness like the fl u or earlier types of coronavirus are at higher risk for a heart attack. What to Do? While everyone needs to take precautions to prevent coronavirus, people with high blood pressure and other health conditions need to be extra careful. The best way to avoid getting sick is to stay home as much as you can. If you have to go out, wear a mask and keep at least 6 feet away from other people. And every time you come home, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Also, clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces like cell phones, countertops and doorknobs. The CDC also recommends that you have enough medicine on hand to treat high blood pressure and other health conditions. And stock up on over-the-counter medicines to treat a fever and other symptoms if you get sick. While a coronavirus vaccine isn’t available yet, you should stay up to date on your other important vaccines. The pneumococcal vaccines – Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23 – will prevent you from catching pneumonia on top of coronavirus. Also get a fl u shot in September or early October. Its symptoms are easy to confuse with coronavirus, which could make it harder for doctors to diagnose you if you do get sick. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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