Town Administrator Tom Mayo provided the following COVID-19 updates at the Board of Selectmen meeting on September 29, 2020:
- As of today, DPH is reporting 129,243 confirmed cases in Massachusetts, of which 9,726 are in Plymouth County.
- As of last Wednesday, the MA Department of Public Health (DPH) was reporting 333 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hingham, putting us in the “yellow” category.
- That same data indicated that the percent of people in Hingham testing positive for COVID-19 during the previous two weeks was 1.72%, which was higher than the Plymouth County average of 1.42% and the state average of 0.85% during that same two-week period.
- The Health Department issued a message last week explaining that unlike in the spring, the recent increase in cases in Hingham is not primarily attributable to nursing homes and residences for vulnerable populations.
- Instead, we are seeing an increase in transmission in the community at large and in particular, an increase in transmission between members of the same household.
- At the state level, DPH is also reporting an increase in cases among Massachusetts residents ages 20-29.
- We remind everyone to please stay vigilant and do your part. Now is not the time to let your guard down.
- Please continue to practice social distancing, wear a face covering in public, avoid large gatherings, and frequently wash your hands.
- Today, Governor Baker’s office announced that effective Monday, October 5th, lower risk communities will be permitted to move into Step II of Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan, which would allow for additional sectors/venues to open with restrictions.
- Lower risk communities are defined as cities and towns that have not been a “red” community in any of the last three DPH weekly reports. We must all work together if we’re going to prevent Hingham from becoming a “red” community.
- The Hingham Health Department continues to work with DPH, state epidemiologists, and municipal and school leaders to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Hingham.