Earlier today, a coalition of State and Local elected officials sent an open letter to Governor Baker, calling on him to #ShutDownMASS and issue an order to "Shelter In Place." Just yesterday, San Fransisco and several surrounding communities issued such an order: "We must move aggressively and immediately," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said at a news conference announcing the order. "The time for half measures is over. History will not forgive us for waiting an hour more." New York City Mayor de Blasio just announced that such a decision may be coming in 48 hours.
Right now, coronavirus is spreading undetected through our community, and every action we do - or do not - take today to reduce that spread will have exponential effects. While things may appear under control today, the true magnitude of the effects of COVID-19 will not be seen for weeks, which is why it is imperative to act now. Case in point: according to the New York Times, New York's outbreak isn’t projected to peak for another 45 days, on May 1. At which point it is projected to overwhelm their hospital system.
According to an NPR poll today, only "56% of Americans consider the coronavirus a 'real threat,' a drop of 10 percentage points from last month. Overall, less than half of adults are changing their behaviors, such as avoiding crowds or eating at home more often." This is truly alarming - the status quo is not working, and we need Massachusetts to take action today. It goes without saying that this would be an incredibly difficult and consequential decision, and the details of such a plan must be carefully considered.
It also remains clear that there is a need for dramatic economic action at the State and Federal level to protect people and small businesses from the catastrophic effects of COVID-19 and related shutdowns. We will continue to advocate that these policies and stimulus packages must directly benefit those most affected.
Here is the text of our open letter:
Governor Baker:
As state and municipal officials, we are calling on you to issue an order to Shelter In Place by the end of the day today, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Physicians tell us COVID-19 is some 10 times more contagious than the flu, and that 1 out of every 5 people who are infected will contract a serious pneumonia that will require hospitalization.
It is essential that the spread of the virus be suppressed to protect the ability of healthcare providers to handle the influx of new patients and safeguard public health and safety. Epidemiologists have suggested that Massachusetts could see as many as 10,000 cases by the end of this month.
We urge that you follow the example set by the City of San Francisco and other communities in the Bay Area, where a Shelter In Place order was issued for some 7 million residents last night.
By “Shelter In Place,” we mean people must be asked to stay home except for essential needs and vulnerable populations must stay home. Everyone should stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care, or go to an essential job. Going outside for walks is permitted, but there can be no congregating or interaction with playground structures of any kind.
Furthermore, we recognize that by calling for this order, we have an obligation to take all necessary actions to provide shelter for people who need space to quarantine or are experiencing homelessness. Given the nature of COVID-19, congregate settings may not be appropriate. We urge you to use your power to make dorm rooms, hotel rooms, vacant properties, as well as temporary structures available to all who are in need of shelter.
We thank you for your urgent attention to this emergency and look forward to continuing to work in partnership with you as we do everything possible to maintain the capacity of our healthcare system and prevent loss of life in the weeks ahead.
Yours in service,
Rep. Mike Connolly, Somerville and Cambridge
Rep. Denise Provost, Somerville
City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen, Somerville
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Cambridge
Vice Mayor Alanna Mallon, Cambridge
Councillor Marc McGovern, Cambridge
Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, Cambridge
Councillor Quinton Zondervan, Cambridge
Councillor Denise Simmons, Cambridge
Rep. Jay Livingstone, Boston and Cambridge
Rep. Kay Khan, Newton
Rep. Tami Gouveia, Acton
Rep. Maria Robinson, Framingham
Rep. Jack Lewis, Framingham City
Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Northampton
Rep. Nika Elugardo, BostonRep. Michelle DuBois, Brockton
This letter may be updated with additional signatories.