SWAMPSCOTT – Due to a dramatic rise in positive COVID-19 cases both in Swampscott and in the region, Swampscott Town Hall will be open to the public by appointment only as of Nov. 30.
Swampscott reported its highest weekly number of new cases all year Monday, with 33 additional cases from Nov. 15 to Nov 21.
There were 185 confirmed cases in the town as of Oct. 22. That number had grown by 72 to 257 by Nov. 24. Forty-two of those cases were reported within the last two weeks. The last time they approached these numbers was back in April, when there were 26 new cases reported in one week.
The town employed a similar rollback to Town Hall services in response to that spring peak, which officials believe contributed to the reduction of COVID cases during the late spring and early summer.
“We’re in a massive uptick in the spread of COVID-19,” said Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald at a Select Board meeting Tuesday.
“Just like we did in the spring when we saw a significant uptick in infections, we’ve used that data to guide our actions,” he added.
“We hope that the closure of Town Hall will send a message to our community to please stay home unless necessary, and also encourage our Swampscott business community to roll back operations where possible and double-down on all safety measures.”
Services provided by Town Hall Departments, including granting permit applications, marriage licenses, paying water and sewer bills, will now be taking place either online, by mail or over the phone.
In-person services at Town Offices will be available only under extraordinary circumstances by appointment only, and will take place during normal work hours in a limited area of the Town Hall building.
Individuals are advised to contact town offices by telephone, where a town employee will help them determine whether the services should take place online, via telephone or with an in-person appointment.
At this time, there will be no changes to the current reduced operations of the senior center, library, or other town facilities.
“We want to make sure residents still have access to services,” said Fitzgerald. “We will be here to help people and we want to help them, but we want to make sure that they stay safe.”
Swampscott offers drive-through COVID-19 testing from Monday through Friday from 2:30-6:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at the First Congregational Church at 40 Monument Ave.
There will be no testing on Thanksgiving Day or the Friday after.
The testing site will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday to accommodate the higher numbers of residents hoping to be tested after Thanksgiving.
Fitzgerald emphasized the importance of staying safe during Thanksgiving. He encouraged residents to stay within their bubble on the holiday, advised them to limit the sizes of their indoor gatherings, and hold gatherings outside when possible.
“This is about giving thanks and staying safe,” said Fitzgerald. “So wear a mask and know that we will get through this.”
Guthrie Scrimgeour can be reached at [email protected].
