East Longmeadow has been designated as a RED community for Covid-19. Our Color designation is assigned by The Department of Public Health based on data. According to yesterdays report, which can be found here. We have a pandemic total case count of 340, 33 total positive tests in the last 14 days.

Many of the things you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses such as the flu include:

-Wear a cloth mask whenever in public when you are not able to physically distance yourself from others.

Physical or social distancing whenever in public and as much as possible.

Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Avoid gathering with large groups of people.

Avoid indoor gatherings, where transmission is more likely to occur.

Stay at home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.

On October 8, 2020 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health @MassDPH released guidance for a safe and healthy #Halloween to help limit the risk of exposure to #COVID19. More info at the link: https://www.mass.gov/news/halloween-during-covid-19

May 5, 2020

The Governor has recently launched a Statewide initiative called the Community Tracing Collaborative also known as CTC. This initiative is a major step towards reopening parts of our state infrastructure. The collaborative was created to aid local Health Departments in notifying individuals who have come into contact with someone infected and contagious with Covid-19. The goal of this initiative is to figure out who might have been exposed through interviews with infected people and notify their contacts rather than waiting for people to become sick and continue to spread COVID-19 among their community.

It is important to know that the calls from this collaborative will not be coming from a Western Ma area code. They will be coming from MA COVID Team: (833) 638-1685 or (857) 305-2728.Please answer the call.

We are all working together to protect the residents of Massachusetts and East Longmeadow. PLEASE NOTE: These calls will come from one of the numbers listed above and no one will ever request social security information or health insurance information.

Also beginning Tomorrow, Wednesday May 6th, the Governor has made it mandatory for people to use masks when entering any business, or while engaging in activities if the social distancing guidance of 6 feet cannot to be maintained. This requirement is not applicable for those 2 or younger or those with medical conditions that do not allow for safe mask usage. Masks are proven to be highly effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19. If you are in need of a mask or if you have any questions, you can reach us at our covid hotline at 413-486-9000 or email us at covid19@eastlongmeadowma.gov. If you are a business and would like a poster for your establishment you can email covid19@eastlongmeadowma.gov and we can send you one.

Thank you,

Aimee

March 16, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

The Town of East Longmeadow is closing the Town Hall building to the public effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020 through March 30, 2020 in an effort to stem the spread the Covid-19 virus.

All essential town services will continue with minor procedural changes. This situation is rapidly evolving and of unknown scope. Therefore, the following extraordinary measures are being implemented in the interests of continued public health and safety.

Only essential personnel will report for duty. Residents and businesses are asked to use online transactions and telephone or mail requests for municipal business.

Police, Fire, Health and DPW departments will continue business as usual. Other offices will perform their duties remotely where possible.

If you have general questions or seek information about the town’s response to Covid-19 we have set up a dedicated phone number (413) 486-9000 and an email address covid19@eastlongmeadowma.gov. Any calls requiring medical assistance should still be directed to 9-1-1.

These decisions are made in an effort to comply with direction from the Governor’s office and follow guidelines issued pursuant to the declared state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

March 11, 2020

COVID-18 UPDATE #2

In an effort to greatly reduce the impact that Covid-19, also known Coronavirus, may have on our community, the Town of East Longmeadow is taking the following steps:

1- Given that over 30% of East Longmeadow residents are over the age of 60, which is the hardest hit demographic of this virus, services at our Council of Aging and our East Longmeadow Public Library will be suspended starting Thursday March 12th 2020. Resumption of these services will be revisited April 1st or sooner as circumstances dictate. The Senior Center will be open for Meals on Wheels deliveries, previously scheduled AARP tax preparations and meetings with the Director of Community Services by appointment only. There will be no transportation provided. Please note: Recreation Department will remain open and can be accessed through the North side entrance.

2- All non-essential town sponsored travel will be suspended.

3- All municipal gatherings of over 50 people will be postponed.

4- All out of town field trips will be postponed or canceled.

We believe these steps are in line with the Governor's recent call to action to assist in the prevention efforts. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as these, are actions a community can take to help slow the spread of illness or reduce the adverse impact of public health emergencies. It is our hope that pursuing these slight modifications will greatly reduce the spread of Covid-19 throughout our community.

We want to remind the public that even if you are not over 60, or do not have a compromised immune system, you could still be exposed. We ask that all of our residents follow these best practices to protect themselves.

1- If you are sick, stay home

2- Frequently wash your hands and avoid touching your face

3- If you need to cough or sneeze, use the inside of your elbow, not your hands, to cover your mouth

4- Practice good social distancing techniques. This means consider using an elbow bump instead of a handshake or hug, and while talking with someone keep a 6 ft distance between you and other people.

For more information or to follow updates on coronavirus please visit our website at https://www.eastlongmeadowma.gov/645/Health-Department or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ELongHealthdept/. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Aimee Petrosky at the East Longmeadow Health Department 413-525-5400 x1103, or via email at aimee.petrosky@eastlongmeadowma.gov