Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020 COVID-19 spike continues in Saugus Confi rmed cases in town surpass 800 mark with 43 deaths T here were 46 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saugus reported within a six-day span, increasing the overall total to 808 since the outbreak of the virus back in March, according to a press release issued Wednesday (Oct. 22) by the Saugus Department of Public Health. The fi gures, which are based on information received by the state Department of Public Health (DPH), also show the death toll of town residents has increased to 43. Saugus has recently been upgraded from moderate-risk to a high-risk community, and shading went from yellow to red on the state’s COVID-19 map based on the average daily incidence rate over the previous two weeks. There is a new metric for understanding how much the virus has spread locally. It shows the number of cases detected on average each day over the last two weeks in each of Massachusetts’s communities. More than eight cases per 100,000 translates to a high risk; between four and eight cases per 100,000 is moderate risk; and any less than that is low risk. Cities and towns shaded red have a high-risk level, which is the highest category. The state’s latest weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report was due to be released late yesterday, but was not available at press time. The Town of Saugus has partnered with the Commonwealth, AFC Urgent Care, Fallon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Square One Mall as a collaborative effort to work to downgrade the town’s designated “High-Risk” red COVID-19 status by establishing and extending the following COVID-19 testing sites in Saugus: AFC Urgent Care, which is located at 371 Broadway, is currently off ering free testing by appointment on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please register online at afcurgentcaresaugus.com. Call 781233-1000 for more information. AFC Saugus will be participating in Stop the Spread up through October 31. Fallon EMS at the Square One Mall (Far Side Parking Lot on Essex Street), which is located at 1201 Broadway with entry off of Essex Street, will offer free mobile drive-up testing for Saugus residents in their cars Monday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. No appointment is needed. Residents drive-up and register using a tablet when they arrive. Saugus Police will be assisting with traffi c. The testing site will be staff ed by 10-12 individuals to handle registrations. All samples go directly to the Broad Institute in Cambridge for immediate testing with a 24-36 hour turnaround time. Notification of results will be made for negative results via emails while phone calls will be made for positive COVID-19 results. These sites do close when it rains because of risk of test contamination. This site has recently been extended until January 15, 2021. This information will be on the Town’s website and on the state’s website: https:// www.mass.gov/info-details/ stop-the-spread?rgja#saugusThe Board of Health and the Saugus Health Department will continue to partner with the state and are working on a planned response to the COVID-19. They are analyzing the data from the past couple of weeks and developing specifi c strategies to combat the spread through additional enforcement and intervention measures. We need to do whatever is necessary to keep ourselves, family, neighbors and communities safe. Continue to wear your masks, wash hands, avoid gatherings and continue to follow the CDC and DPH guidelines. The Saugus Health Department strongly believes that additional unrecognized cases do exist in Saugus. Due to the fact that they are undetected, some of these infected individuals may not be properly isolated or quarantined, which is why Governor Baker directive is to wear a cloth face cover over their face when around others, practice social distancing, avoid gatherings, and to follow the CDC and MDPH guidance. Again, this is a reminder that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DPH have provided guidance to everyone regarding preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the Commonwealth. Please follow CDC and DPH guidance to prevent COVID-19 illness by: • Cleaning your hands often for at least 20 seconds • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth • Staying at least six feet between yourself and others • Covering your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others • Staying healthy; “please call us with any needs” – for more information, contact the Saugus Health Department at 781-231-4117 and/or the Town Manager’s Offi ce at 781231-4111. Cleaning under COVID-19 Town of Saugus activates air purifi cation system in schools and town buildings to contain the spread of the virus (Editor’s Note: The following info is from a press release issued this week by the Town Manager’s Offi ce.) S augus Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree recently announced the implementation of an advanced air purification system in the Saugus Public Schools classrooms and offi ces, as well as in Town of Saugus buildings and offices, as part of a continued eff ort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to prioritize the health and safety of the students, educators employees and visitors in Saugus. The Town has applied for funding assistance for the systems through the Federal CARES Act and the State’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance. Under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control FROM SPACE TO SAUGUS: One of the air purifi er units the Town of Saugus recently acquired is based on technology originally developed by NASA researchers to use on the International Space Station. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) and Prevention (CDC) and the state Department of Public Health (DPH), the Town recently retained hygienists, mechanical engineers and architects to assist in implementing necessary modifi cations to municipal buildings and schools. After careful research conducted by these experts, the Town identifi ed, invested in and implemented the Beyond by Aerus air purifi - cation system, which captures and removes 99.97 percent of contaminants. The Town acquired 167 of the following Energy Star certifi ed models to make up the system: • The Beyond Guardian Air – this advanced air purifi er features better than High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) fi ltration and has been univerCLEANING | SEE PAGE 17 Monogram D4 Double siding Cedar impression half rounds Harvey Vinyl 62 Replacement Windows Custom Aluminum Trim work Windows & Doors Top quality Vinyl Siding! •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Roofing •Free Estimates •Replacement Windows •Fully Licensed •Fully Insured
9 Publizr Home