SWAMPSCOTT — As of noon Thursday, Swampscott residents are ordered to stay at home until Monday, May 4.
The order makes mandatory the statewide stay-at-home advisory Gov. Charlie Baker issued on March 24 in response to the pandemic of COVID-19, the coronavirus that has infected thousands in Massachusetts, and hundreds of thousands worldwide.
Swampscott has four confirmed cases of coronavirus, but its Health Department “strongly believes that additional unrecognized cases do exist in town,” according to a statement on the stay-at-home order.
“We haven’t even come close to the peak yet in our area,” said Board of Health Chairwoman Marianne Hartmann. “This is the reality of what we’re looking at.”
Swampscott’s order — administered by the Select Board and Board of Health — prohibits gatherings of any number of people outside the home, unless the gathering is for an “essential activity.” The Swampscott Board of Health and the Swampscott Police Department may enforce this order by issuing fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
In full, “essential activities” include performing tasks “to maintain one’s own health and safety,” or the safety of family or household members, visiting a healthcare professional, picking up medicine or medical supplies; picking up “necessary services or supplies”; delivering services or supplies to others to maintain safety, sanitation, or the functioning of residences; engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking, or running while maintaining social distancing practices; performing work that provides essential services or products under Gov. Baker’s state order; caring for a family member or pet in another household; caring for the elderly, minors, dependents, people with disabilities; visiting an educational institution to receive materials for distance learning; visiting a food bank or food distribution center for food or supplies; traveling as required by law enforcement or court order; traveling to childcare services if an employee of an essential business as defined in the state order.
Essential businesses and services, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, police and fire departments, will remain open in town. Restaurants are still allowed to offer curbside takeout services. There is no restriction on congregation of a family or household members within a household.
Coronavirus causes influenza-like symptoms in many people, and one in five who contract the virus will need hospitalization, according to the Swampscott Health Department. It is thought to spread mainly from person to person via respiratory droplets that are ingested or inhaled into the lungs. With no vaccine to prevent coronavirus illness, and no antivirals approved for treatment, the best way to avoid getting sick is to avoid others, including maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from other people.
The town is also launching an effort to identify the needs of senior citizens and lend help during the outbreak.
Town officials and volunteers from the Swampscott for All Ages Committee will soon be making phone calls to those ages 60 and up to determine if people have “concrete needs, such as food and medications.” The calls are also intended to prevent total social isolation, and seniors will have the option to have phone calls regularly on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis with a volunteer, according to Allie Fiske, assistant to the town administrator.
“Our most at-risk residents are likely in need of social contact, food, and medications,” said Heidi Whear, the tri-chair of Swampscott for All Ages committee.
According to Swampscott Select Board member Naomi Dreeben, who helped organize the volunteer check-in effort, this program will make sure the elderly are taken care of during the outbreak. The Swampscott Senior Center is also making calls to residents who regularly use the senior center.
According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), it is important senior citizens, who are at high-risk of serious illness if they contract coronavirus, do not become lonely, a health issue in itself, Fiske said.
For Swampscott residents who do not have enough food, the following services are available: free meals for all residents are available for pick up at the high school between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday; the senior center, (781) 596-8866, is facilitating a “meals-on-wheels” program for seniors for pickup or delivery meals Monday through Friday; all residents may also call the senior center for a free bag of food staples weekly.
If interested in the town’s volunteer program to help the elderly, please fill out the volunteer form online at tinyurl.com/volunteer-swampscott. For questions, call (781) 596-8866.
To read the Swampscott stay-at-home order in full, visit the town website at www.swampscottma.gov.
