Coronavirus Update: Dedham Fields And Basketball Courts Closed

Press release from the Town of Dedham:

March 26 2020

In an effort to continue to update Dedham residents on state and local preparedness efforts and impacts related to COVID-19 (commonly referred to as Coronavirus), the Dedham Board of Health offers the following updates:

Monday, March 23, 2020
Governor Baker issued an Executive Order that all non-essential businesses close to the public by noon on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. This order is effective through April 7, 2020. Consistent with the Federal regulation, the Governor has limited gatherings to 10 individuals or less.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Governor Baker issued an Executive Order that all schools remained closed through May 1, 2020.

The Board of Health met on this date and voted to:

• Close all parks, including baseball diamonds and basketball courts until at least April 7, 2020. Please note that at this time, this action does not include walking paths, trails or tracks.
• Discontinue the use of reusable shopping bags until further notice.
• Allow, in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order, that golf courses may conduct property maintenance while respecting the no more than 10 person rule and practicing social distancing

Additional Information & Resources

There are 7 confirmed cases of the virus in Dedham as of March 25, 2020.

Please be aware that the Board of Health will be moving from daily reports of positive COVID-19 cases, to weekly, which will be provided to the public after the weekly Board meetings on Wednesdays.

Dedham’s Public Health Nurse maintains daily surveillance and monitoring of COVID-19 in the community. The Health Department has daily communication with various community leaders to provide additional guidance and support in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).

The Board recognizes this is a time of stress and uncertainty for many, and would like to encourage residents to access these resources, as needed:

• Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
• Residents with questions may contact the Dedham Health Department at 781-751-9220.

Please see other resources on the Town website:

• Public Health updates
• Community Service updates
• Town Services updates

This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.