Some regional houses of worship reopening; nursing homes get aid
BOSTON (AP) — Religious leaders are taking steps to protect their congregations as services resume in Massachusetts and Vermont. An iconic Connecticut pizza shop is adding outdoor dining as part of a plan to aid businesses impacted by the coronavirus.
Details on those and other coronavirus-related developments across New England:
MASSACHUSETTS
Some houses of worship in Massachusetts are welcoming people back for services this weekend after getting permission to reopen their doors.
Rev. Steve Warner told The Boston Herald they’re taking extra precaution as they allow parishioners back into the Brockton Assembly of God. People must wear masks and certain pews are roped off to allow for social distancing.
“We’re not going to be irresponsible and try to pack a pew here,” Warner told the newspaper. “We’ve vetted it carefully.”
Houses of worship were allowed to resume in-person services as part of the first phase of the state’s gradual reopening. State guidelines say they must limit occupancy to 40 percent of the building’s maximum capacity.
As of Saturday, there were more than 91,660 coronavirus cases reported in Massachusetts after the state added 773 new cases. There were 76 new deaths reported, bringing the state’s death toll to 6,304.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Members of New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation say the state’s nursing homes are getting critical financial help but they will continue to push for more.
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas said nursing homes will get nearly $20 million in the federal coronavirus relief package.
All four Democrats said Congress should be even more aggressive in extending aid to nursing homes. Shaheen is cosponsoring legislation that provides $20 billion nationwide to help states implement strategies to contain the spread of the virus in congregate settings.
On Saturday, New Hampshire reported 77 new positive COVID-19 cases and four new deaths. That brings the total to 4,089 cases and 208 deaths.
RHODE ISLAND
A firefighter tested positive for the coronavirus in the town of East Greenwich and eight of the force’s 33 firefighters are quarantined, officials said.
A union representing the firefighters said in a Facebook post that the “remaining limited staff will remain on duty 24/7” to cover for the quarantined firefighters and three other vacancies in the department.
A member of the town’s IT department is also quarantined because they had contact with the firefighter who tested positive, town manager Andrew Nota told The Providence Journal.
Rhode Island reported 18 new coronavirus deaths Saturday, bringing the state’s total to 597. The state also added over 200 new positive cases, for a total of nearly 14,000.
VERMONT
Church leaders in Vermont are taking steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as in-person services resume in the state.
Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday that services at houses of worship could resume starting this weekend but only at 25% capacity.
Pastor Glen Russell of Faith Baptist Church in Winooski told WCAX-TV that they have removed hymnals from pews and are putting lyrics to songs on a big screen.
“My main focus is to keep folks safe because I don’t want to have any of our church members be sick, so we’re going to screen folks at the door and ask some of those questions that we need to ask and do all of those things and do our part to be good citizens,” he said.
Vermont reported two new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 954. The total number of deaths remained at 54 for the sixth day in a row.
CONNECTICUT
An iconic Connecticut pizza shop is the first business to get a permit from the state allowing it to add outdoor seating as part of a plan to aid businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Ned Lamont said the Connecticut Department of Transportation has approved a permit allowing Mystic Pizza to add tables in the front of the building near the doorways and on the sidewalk.
Under the state’s first phase of reopening, restaurants that were previously limited to take-out and delivery only were permitted to begin serving diners outdoors.
Lamont recently signed an executive order to help businesses that don’t have outdoor space available by creating a process that allows them to get permission to use sidewalks and other areas in the state’s right-of-way.
Mystic Pizza has become a tourist attraction in Connecticut since Julia Roberts starred in the movie about the lives of three waitresses working at the small-town pizza parlor.
As of Saturday, there were 40,022 coronavirus cases in Connecticut. The state reported 3,675 deaths, up 38 from Friday.