WALSH: WE ‘MUST ACT NOW’
Mayor stresses wearing masks, threatens ‘violations’ to those not social distancing
Mayor Martin Walsh wants everyone in a face mask, ordered a curfew and said the cops will be breaking up public gatherings as he again voiced frustration over people flouting social distancing guidelines ahead of an anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Lives are literally at stake. I am not willing to look back two or four weeks from now and look at that number thinking that we could have done more. We must act now, all of us, it’s our responsibility,” Walsh said, speaking in front of City Hall.
A stay-at-home advisory is being expanded, starting
Monday, to include a recommended curfew for all residents from 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The order does not apply to essential workers.
“We have seen too many unnecessary trips in the evenings and social distancing problems,” Walsh said, saying people should only leave their homes for essentials such as food and medication.
Showing off his own face mask, hand-sewn by City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, Walsh said all residents must don masks anytime they go into public — including when grocery shopping or going for walks. Masks alone won’t protect a person from infection, Walsh said, urging people to continue to practice social distancing. About 25% of people are asymptomatic and masks can help slow the spread, Walsh said.
Walsh recommended people use bandannas, scarves or homemade masks, to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers fighting the virus on the front lines.
Walsh said the mask advisory and curfew would be effective Monday and remain in place through May 4 or until the public health emergency is lifted.
The stricter guidelines come on a day when Boston saw its largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases. There are more than 1,877 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city — up 259 over Saturday. Walsh said over a quarter of the total number of cases in the city have been diagnosed in the past 48 hours, showing the “surge” is starting, Walsh said.
Of those, 45% are in people under 40 years old and the cases in younger people are increasing in severity, Walsh said.
“We are not powerless. This is the point of our guidelines, they empower you they empower me and all of us to fight this virus,” Walsh said.
The city is closing public facilities and all basketball, street hockey and tennis courts, Walsh said, noting an “astonishing” number of people continue to gather publicly.
The public would still have access to open spaces, but Walsh said “no group activity should be happening anywhere.”
Police “can and will issue violations” to anyone found to be ignoring social distancing advisories, Walsh said.
Walsh also announced new hours at City Hall, saying the offices would be open to the public just two days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and by appointment only. Anyone entering the building, including employees will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms, he said.