South Shore Towns Receive Coronavirus Phone Alerts
CANTON, MA—Twenty communities across Massachusetts, including several South Shore towns, received emergency coronavirus alerts from state officials, warning them that the virus is a serious threat in their communities.
This is the third consecutive week that the emergency COVID-19 alerts were sent out. Last Monday, 22 communities received the message and the first week, 10 communities received the message. The towns that receive the alert have been designated as high-risk for the virus by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
This week, the alert went to Abington, Avon, Berkley, Canton, East Longmeadow, Fairhaven, Fall River, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Holliston, Marshfield, Milford, Pembroke, Rockland, Saugus, Somerset, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, and Weymouth.
Last week, the emergency phone alerts went to Acushnet, Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Holyoke, Hudson, Kingston, Leicester, Lowell, Malden, Marlboro, Methuen, Middleton, North Andover, Plymouth, Randolph, Springfield, Waltham, Webster, and Woburn.
The first week, alerts went to Chelsea, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Nantucket, New Bedford, Revere, Framingham, Winthrop, and Worcester.
"COVID is persistently high risk in these communities, and this alert is another important message to remind residents to remain vigilant—wear masks, get tested/stay home if they feel sick, stop having gatherings and practice social distancing," said Tory Mazzola, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center, in a statement.
The alerts are sent between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. in both English and Spanish and include the city or town's name. Those who are driving through high-risk communities or live in a neighboring town may also receive the emergency alerts.
The alert states: "MAGovt Alert COVID19 is a serious threat in [city/town name]. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Do not share food drinks utensils. Stay home if sick. Get a free COVID test. Stop gatherings with family and friends. Protect you and your loved ones. For more info visit mass.gov/stopcovid19."
On Monday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 725 new coronavirus cases new coronavirus cases across the state, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 156,385.
This article originally appeared on the Canton Patch
