Coronavirus Information Update 05/05/20

This is a collection of information that I share each day on my Berkshire News Network Coronavirus Information Update reports, which are heard on all of our Townsquare Media Berkshire stations. If you hear it there... you'll find it here:

Tuesday May 5, 2020

Berkshire County Numbers:

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Berkshire County: 453

The number of COVID-19 Deaths in Berkshire County: 36

Statewide Numbers:

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts:  69,087

The number of COVID-19 Deaths in Massachusetts: 4,090

Today’s News Items:

No new Berkshire County deaths were reported Monday. The county death toll stands at 36. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the county is at 453, up two from Sunday.

There were 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the state bringing the total to 69,087. There were 86 new deaths were reported, for a total of 4,090.

During his daily briefing Monday Gov. Charlie Baker said that the state administered almost 16,000 additional COVID-19 tests Sunday bringing the statewide total to roughly 315,000 tests.

Statewide mandatory face covering when in public and not able to physical distance goes into effect on Wednesday.

The Town of Adams has established a protocol that will safely allow for birthday wave parades featuring public safety vehicles only. Town officials remain concerned that large vehicle parades featuring private vehicles will unnecessarily create the opportunity for people to congregate and violate social distancing regulations.

Recent Information:

It’s National Nurses Week... the annual recognition comes at a time when nurses are working harder than ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

New England Collegiate Baseball League announced on Friday that its 2020 season has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced Friday that he has signed an executive order requiring people to wear a face covering while in public when you cannot physically distance from others. The order goes into place on Wednesday, May 6th and does not apply to children under the age of 2.

The town of Great Barrington is the latest town to postpone its annual town meeting and election. The town meeting will be June 22nd and the town election will now be June 30th.

The Sheffield Town elections will now take place on May 11th at the Sheffield Senior Center, with polls open from 9 AM to 7 PM. Voters will also be able to vote by Absentee Ballot or by Mail Ballot instead of at the Senior Center. Meanwhile the Sheffield board of selectmen town administrator have agreed that the closure of all town buildings will remain in effect until May 18th unless the order is extended by Governor Charlie Baker.

The Berkshire Record has suspended operations and has furloughed employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual town election in Clarksburg is scheduled to be held on May 26th. Voters are being encouraged to cast ballot by mail.

The annual town election in the town of Florida has been postponed until June 23rd. Absentee and early voting ballots are available and can be requested by mail from the Town Clerk.

The Select Board in Williamstown may cut back on polling hours for the annual town election which has been postponed to June. Town officials are strongly advising voters to take advantage of mail-in voting.

The town of Great Barrington is extending the suspension of plastic water bottle restrictions through May 31st.

Gov. Baker has announced that he is ordering that Massachusetts schools remain closed though the end of the school year.

COVID-19 Resources:

You can get coronavirus tips and information directly from the CDC at cdc.gov/coronavirus

Though the MassHire Berkshire Career Center is closed to in-person contact, their seminars and workshops are available on a webinar platform. You can find the schedule at https://masshireberkshirecc.com/events-calendar/

The Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (or WIC) is committed to providing families with continued support now and in the days ahead. They are able to provide all services by phone. Call 447-3495.

Unemployment benefit application for self-employed, gig economy, and other workers are now available. Learn more and apply at mass.gov/pua

Remember to wear a mask or face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially when social distancing is difficult. More info at: mass.gov/coveryourface

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has launched a new website to provide resources for health care workers and first responders in the state, and information to the public. The website is FrontlineMA.org.

You can see the latest breakdown of Massachusetts COVID-19 cases by Location, Age, Gender, and Ethnicity at the following link: DPH COVID-19 Cases Breakdown It’s updated by 4:00 PM Daily.

For the latest information on COVID-19 visit the BHS Coronavirus Information Kiosk at http://www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/coronavirus

State residents can get COVID-19 text updates by texting COVIDMA to 888-777

The symptoms of Coronavirus are coughing, fever and shortness of breath. They may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure. Residents can also check their symptoms and get other COVID-19 health related information by using a new FREE tool at buoy.com/mass

For the latest information on the Coronavirus including how to protect yourself and what to do if you become sick, visit the Federal Center for Disease Control website at cdc.gov/coronavirus

Check out the link to the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Lenox: #LenoxLove COVID-19 Resources webpage: https://lenox.org/lenox-chamber-covid-19/

Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Has a link to COVID-19 resources on its website. Click this link: https://downtownpittsfield.com/2020/04/covid-19-resources/

Berkshire South Regional Community Center has announced Nourishing Neighbors, a new supplemental community meal program running for eight weeks and beginning today. Details are available at http://berkshiresouth.org/nourishing-neighbors/

The Town of Great Barrington has released a Mental Health and Wellness Kit, which is available at this link: https://www.townofgb.org/home/news/great-barrington-releases-mental-health-and-wellness-kit

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Berkshire County has announced its Warm Line. The Warm Line is a phone number that people can call to talk to either staff or a community trained volunteer. The number is 413-445-1136.

Community Access to the Arts has launched a series of online arts programs in order to combat the isolation that people with disabilities are experiencing during the COVID-19 crisis. Go to cataarts.org.

If you have a question about Coronavirus, you can call the BHS hotline which is available daily between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The number is 1-855-BMC-LINK or 1-855-262-5465.