To our Readers:
In an effort to keep our community informed during the public-health crisis, we will post local virus-related information free of charge.
If you have any crisis-related stories, please submit them to ([email protected]).
For comprehensive daily news, home delivery and online only subscriptions are available via itemlive.com.
Lynn lifts curfew as COVID-19 cases decline
By Gayla Cawley | June 5, 2020
LYNN — The city’s overnight curfew was rescinded on Wednesday because coronavirus cases have been trending downward in recent weeks, according to Mayor Thomas M. McGee.
The curfew, which mandated that residents stay home between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., had been in effect since April 11.
The restriction, extended twice last month, was lifted as part of an executive order that was signed this week by McGee and the city’s Public Health Director Michele Desmarais.
Although Lynn has the fourth highest number of coronavirus cases in the state, recent data has shown that the city’s numbers are leveling off, with a low number of new cases each day, according to McGee.
“With the number of new cases decreasing and our active case number leveling off, we thought it was the appropriate time to lift the curfew,” said McGee in a statement. “Residents should continue to be vigilant about wearing face coverings, washing their hands and practicing good hygiene. We want to ensure community spread continues to be mitigated as the reopening phases move along, and we certainly don’t want to regress and see a spike in the numbers.”
Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary said he had discussed the matter with McGee earlier this week and was supportive of the city’s decision to lift the overnight curfew.
“I felt it wasn’t a problem,” said Mageary. “I felt it was fine for him to lift it. People need to be out and about. We never had a problem when the curfew was in effect. We were absolutely fine and in agreement that it should be lifted.”
Mageary said there’s always a concern about nighttime violence, in terms of what’s been seen in other communities following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, but he reiterated his department’s support of peaceful protests.
Two demonstrations against police brutality are tentatively planned for this weekend in Lynn.
“There’s always a concern, but we support people’s right to peacefully protest and they have that right and I don’t think at this point a curfew should hinder that,” said Mageary.
All other orders issued on April 11, which were extended on May 18, remain in effect, such as those mandating face coverings inside public establishments and prohibiting customers from entering restaurants, bars, or other food establishments, according to the executive order that was signed on Wednesday.