Video Update for April 23
Good evening Melrose, this is your Mayor Paul Brodeur.
There are 10 new positive cases of COVID-19 in Melrose reported today. However, as I have mentioned before, the best way to understand the trends in the spread and treatment of the virus is to visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 dashboard on the DPH website.
One of the reasons for social distancing and our other policies is to preserve medical resources for those who need them. That is true and it has been successful. However, statistics are revealing a significant drop in emergency department visits for strokes, heart attacks and other major acute problems. Hospitals are seeing patients coming in too late to most effectively address acute conditions, with a resulting detriment to their health. It is important for everyone to understand that if you are in medical distress, you should call 911 or go to the emergency room, whether the emergency is COVID related or not. The professionals there are prepared to keep you safe and address your condition.
Tonight, I also want to highlight one person who has done an extraordinary job going above and beyond to make sure Melrose remains the special place that we call home. Lauren Grymek, executive director of the Melrose Chamber of Commerce, has been working tirelessly to connect our local businesses to resources, field questions, troubleshoot problems, and be a great source of ideas and advice for me and the business community. On Monday, I’m looking forward to appearing before the City Council alongside Lauren and my colleagues at the state and federal level to discuss the resources available to help our small businesses.
Today was National Picnic Day and so many of you celebrated by supporting our local businesses. I hope you all had a great time, but remember, you don’t need a holiday to support any business that is open in Melrose, or even one that is currently closed but is still selling gift certificates. Our local shop keepers, business owners, and service providers are a big part of what makes Melrose such a great place to live and I appreciate your efforts to shop local!
Finally, I want to share part of a note I received from a dentist expressing his concern about covering your face. He wrote:
“I have noticed that many people wearing masks have their mouth covered but their nose exposed. The other thing is that those not wearing a mask are endangering everyone since approximately one out of two people who are testing positive are asymptomatic.”
So please take the word of a medical professional and wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth. Stay home when you can, wash your hands, disinfect surfaces often, and keep your distance from others. It’s what protects you and the people around you and helps flatten the curve. And it’s how together, we will get through this.
Thank you and good night.