Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Information

• For local case counts and other data about COVID-19 in Somerville, refer to the City's COVID-19 Dashboard. 
• For statewide data, refer to updates from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Information includes cases, testing, and hspitalizations, nursing facility data, cases by city/town, residents subject to COVID-19 quarantine, and data from State facilities. The MA Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) also created a COVID-19 ArcGIS Online dashboard, which is updated weekly.
• For case counts and other data about COVID-19 across the United States and around the world, refer to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. 

People with COVID-19 can experience a wide range of symptoms, and some don't experience any symptoms at all. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. According to the CDC, people with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Please seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing these emergency warning signs for COVID-19:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or difficulty waking
• Bluish lips or face 

Call 911 or your local emergency facility if you have a medical emergency. Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

Check your symptoms for COVID-19 online

Buoy Health’s online 24/7 tool is free for Massachusetts residents and uses current COVID-19 guidance from the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health to help users check their symptoms and connect with the next appropriate health care resource. This tool does not replace emergency medical care, but it may be used as a support for residents during the COVID-19 outbreak to connect them with appropriate health care resources if they display coronavirus symptoms. Visit buoy.com/mass to learn more and use the tool.

You can also call 2-1-1 to learn more about COVID-19 prevention, symptoms, testing, and treatment.

Older people (age 65 and up), people who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and people of all ages with serious underlying health conditions seem to be at higher risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. We should all take precautions to limit the spread in order to protect ourselves and those most vulnerable to complications.

The underlying conditions identified as increasing risk include but are not limited to:

• Heart, kidney, or liver disease
• Lung disease
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Chronic bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Immune deficiency, or persons taking medications that suppress immune function
• High blood pressure

The CDC offers guidance for higher risk populations including:

• Stock up on supplies
• Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others
• When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact, and wash your hands often.
• Wear a mask or face covering when you are in public. 
• Avoid crowds as much as possible
• Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel

During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible.

COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
• Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
• Maintaining good social distance (about 6 feet) is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

It is important to know that people can spread the virus even if they don't have any symptoms.

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus. CDC recommends people practice frequent “hand hygiene,” which is either washing hands with soap or water or using an alcohol-based hand rub. CDC also recommends routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

• Bookmark the City’s coronavirus webpage for local updates: somervillema.gov/COVID.
• Sign up for City alerts or check your subscription to be sure you are signed up to receive alerts via every method you can receive: phone, email, texts. Call 311 if you need assistance subscribing. 
• Check for updates from Somerville Public Schools as appropriate.
• Sign up for real-time text updates about COVID-19 in Massachusetts: Text the keyword COVIDMA to 888-777. State and public health officials will send short messages and links to information directly to your mobile device. Users can subscribe to the Spanish-language service by texting COVIDMAESP to 888-777.
• Check reliable news sources frequently. See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health, or other official government sites for updates. It’s important to get information from official websites to help stop rumors and misinformation from spreading and potentially putting yourself and others at risk.

Get vaccinated! Learn more about the vaccines and how to schedule an appointment. 

The CDC also recommends taking these precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering when in public (unless you have a medical reason not to wear a face covering, which includes disability).
• Practice social distancing: Always stay at least six feet away from anyone you don't live with. (If two people extend their arms and their hands can almost touch, they are too close.)
• Clean your hands often. 
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 
  • If you are unable to wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. 
• Cough/sneeze into a tissue. Dispose of used tissues immediately into a trash can. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. 
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Try to isolate yourself as much as possible from other members of your household.
• Monitor your temperature. (A fever is 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.) Remain home if you have a fever, except to get medical care.

Prepare a two-week emergency kit and complete an emergency checklist in case you need to quarantine at home. An emergency kit is a collection of items you may need in an emergency. An emergency checklist helps you gather information you may need in an emergency. Kits generally include essentials such as food, water, medicine, power sources, paperwork, and other items to cover a 3-day period. With COVID-19, it is recommended to prepare a two-week supply. Here are few links with suggestions for your kit and checklists:

• Somerville Quarantine Shopping List (PDF)
• Mass.gov Build an Emergency Kit
• CDC Emergency Kit and Checklist for Families
• CDC Personal Health Preparedness
• Mass.gov/KnowPlanPrepare includes interactive family tasks and videos
  
• Gather supplies that will be helpful if you or a household member needs to recover from COVID-19 at home. The same kind of supplies you might need if you have the flu will be helpful if you develop flu-like COVID-19 symptoms that are mild or moderate enough for you to recover at home. Items such as cold medicines, Tylenol, tissues, decongestant, a thermometer, and thermometer covers are helpful. Should anyone develop vomiting or diarrhea, an anti-diarrheal medicine and fluids that can quickly rehydrate and restore electrolytes such as Pedialyte, electrolyte water, broth or broth-based soups, or Gatorade (though be careful of the high sugar levels in Gatorade if using for children) are also helpful. To help stop the spread of germs, a disinfectant cleaner or wipes is also advised.

Under the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law, most employees in the state have the right to earn and use up to 40 hours of job-protected sick leave per year to take care of themselves and certain family members. Click here for more information about employee rights and employer obligations in Massachusetts during this pandemic.

As City of Somerville businesses reopen, it is important that all workers and employers know how to protect themselves to prevent the spread of COVID-19. All businesses in the State of Massachusetts must meet these safety requirements in order to reopen, and Somerville has established some additional protections for certain industries. 

The minimum safety requirements for businesses in Somerville include:

• Follow all Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces required by the State of Massachusetts. Safety Standards posters in multiple languages summarize these requirements.
• Complete a self-certified COVID-19 control plan template. 
  • All Personal Care businesses, including salons and barbershops, in the City of Somerville must additionally submit a Safety Plan to the Inspectional Services Department
  • All construction contractors in the City of Somerville must additionally submit a Jobsite Hazard Analysis and prepare a Site Specific Safety Plan (example here). This will be requested upon approval of a construction permit.
• Print, sign, and post a Compliance attestation poster in an area within the business premises that is visible to workers and visitors
• Print and display an Employer poster and a Worker Poster within the business premises that describe the rules for maintaining social distancing, hygiene protocols, and cleaning and disinfecting

Highly recommended safety practices for businesses in Somerville include:

• Follow the State of Massachusetts guidance and best practices for specific sectors
• Work-at-home for all employees in the City of Somerville. Businesses should restrict workforce to less than 25% maximum occupancy and strive for less.

Know your rights as an employee during COVID-19. If you have a concern about the safety of your workplace during COVID-19, you can file a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office online. Your complaint may concern issues such as:

• Cleaning/disinfection
• Hygiene
• Failure to display Compliance Attestation poster
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Requiring symptomatic employees to work
• Retaliation
• Social distancing

The Attorney General’s Office has also published Frequently Asked Questions in multiple languages regarding the rights of workers and employers during COVID-19.

• Social distancing should be practiced by everyone in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. This means limiting the interactions you have with others outside of your household. Avoid gatherings and keep 6 feet between you and others when possible.
• Quarantines are for people or groups who are thought to have been exposed to the coronavirus. Quarantines during this pandemic last at least 14 days because symptoms of infection typically begin two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.
• Isolation is for people who have been infected by the virus. The goal of isolation is to keep infected people away from healthy people to help slow the spread.

Refer to the latest guidance from both the CDC and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health before traveling. 

• Domestic Travel - Fully Vaccinated
  
  • According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can travel within the U.S. without getting tested for COVID-19 or quarantining, as long as they continue to take precautions while traveling: wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.
  • A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 
• Domestic Travel - Not Fully Vaccinated
  
  • The CDC recommends delaying all travel until you're fully vaccinated.
  • If you're not fully vaccinated and must travel domestically, take these steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. 
  • The Massachusetts Travel Advisory also states that domestic travelers arriving in Massachusetts who aren't fully vaccinated should quarantine for ten days unless they can provide proof of a negative test result that meets certain criteria. 
• International Travel - Fully Vaccinated
  
  • According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can travel internationally with some testing requirements and recommendations outlined here. The international destination may have additional requirements, so be sure to review before making travel plans. 
  • Fully vaccinated people should continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling. 
  • A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 
• International Travel - Not Fully Vaccinated
  
  • The CDC recommends delaying all travel until you're fully vaccinated.
  • If you're not fully vaccinated and must travel internationally, take these steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. 
  • The Massachusetts Travel Advisory also states that international travelers arriving in Massachusetts who aren't fully vaccinated should quarantine for ten days unless they can provide proof of a negative test result that meets certain criteria. 

Starting May 29, 2021, new mask guidance will be in effect, consistent with guidance from the State and CDC:

• Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, except in certain situations outlined by the State.
• Individuals who are not fully vaccinated should continue to wear a mask indoors, and outdoors when they can't maintain social distance.
• All individuals are required to wear a mask on public and private transportation, in health care facilities and congregate care settings, and where mandated by a local business or workplace.
• Students, teachers, and staff are required to wear masks inside schools and child care settings.

Children 5 years of age and younger and people who cannot wear a mask or face covering for medical reasons, which includes a disability, are exempt from face covering requirements. 

The CDC advises wearing a simple cloth face covering over your nose and mouth in public as an additional public health measure. It is now understood that the virus can spread between people who are interacting in close proximity even if neither person is showing symptoms. Wearing a cloth face covering can help reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others. However, wearing a face covering is not a replacement for social distancing. Social distancing remains the most effective way to slow the spread of the virus, so it is still important to remain at least 6 feet away from people who are not part of your household, even when wearing a face covering.

• CDC Resources for Households

• CDC Information on COVID-19 and Pregnant People and Children
• CDC Information on COCID-19 and Breast Feeding

The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has provided a COVID-19 communications cardto help hard of hearing and Deaf individuals and patients communicate with hospital staff, medical personnel, first responders, and service providers.

Older people (age 65 and up), people who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness. The CDC advises that it is “extra important” that persons with higher risk take action to help prevent exposure to the virus, and that all of us take actions to limit the spread in order to protect ourselves and those most vulnerable to complications.

The underlying conditions identified as increasing risk include but are not limited to:

• Heart, kidney, or liver disease
• Lung disease
• Moderate to severe asthma
• Diabetes
• Chronic bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Immune deficiency, or persons taking medications that suppress immune function
• High blood pressure
• Severe obesity

For more information, see the CDC’s guidance on People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness.

The CDC offers guidance for higher risk populations including:

• Stay home if possible.
• Wash your hands often.
• Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others (stay 6 feet away, which is about two arm lengths).
• Keep away from people who are sick.
• Stock up on supplies.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched services.
• Avoid all cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
• Call your healthcare professional if you have concerns about COVID-19 and your underlying condition or if you are sick.

• CDC Resources for Institutes of Higher Education
• MA DPH Guidance for Colleges and Universities

• CDC Resources for K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs
• MA DPH Guidance for Elementary and Secondary Schools

• CDC Guidance on Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF)
• MA DPH Guidance for For Long Term Care Facilities

• CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers

• CDC Guidance for Community and Faith-Based Organizations

• CDC Guidance for Event Organizers

• CDC Guidance for Healthcare Facilities
• CDC Guidance for Healthcare Clinicians
• The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has provided a COVID-19 communications card to help hospital staff, medical personnel, first responders, and service providers communicate with hard of hearing and Deaf individuals and patients.

• CDC Guidance for First Responders
• The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has provided a COVID-19 communications card to help hospital staff, medical personnel, first responders, and service providers communicate with hard of hearing and Deaf individuals and patients.

• Check for Emergency Warning Signs: Anyone who has emergency warning signs of COVID-19, including trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face should seek medical attention immediately. Call 911 and notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives. 
• Contact your medical provider: Persons experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or other symptoms should contact their medical provider to discuss testing and treatment options.
• Check your symptoms online: If you think you might have COVID-19, you can check your symptoms for free online at www.Buoy.com/mass.  This website, created by a partnership between the state and Buoy Health, will connect you with the appropriate health care resource based on your symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19. This tool does not replace emergency medical care, but it may be used as a support for Massachusetts residents during the COVID-19 outbreak to connect them with appropriate health care resources if they display coronavirus symptoms.
• Isolate safely: Persons experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or other symptoms should contact their medical provider and follow these CDC guidelines: 
  • Stay at home except to get medical care
  • Separate yourself from other people and pets in your home
  • Monitor your symptoms. Seek immediate medical help if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face. 
  • Call ahead before attending medical appointments to let them know that you may have COVID-19. 
  • Wear a face covering if you are around other people or pets, even at home 
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes
  • Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds
  • Avoid sharing personal household items like dishes, cups, utensils, towels, and bedding
  • Clean all “high-touch” surfaces in your home every day.
• Get Tested: COVID-19 tests are available to all Somerville residents for free, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. You do not need to be symptomatic to receive a test. To schedule an appointment, see “Where can I get tested for COVID-19” below.

A number of states and countries have issued travel restrictions and advisories, which may change rapidly. Be sure to research guidelines specific to your destination before traveling. Learn more from the State here, or visit the CDC COVID-19 Travel page.

If you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider, and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. If you have been directed to quarantine or self-monitor because of a possible COVID-19 contact, follow this guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

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Contact tracing is an important tool to slow the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. If you test positive, a public health nurse will call you and ask who you've recently been in close contact with. A close contact is considered anyone you've been within 6 feet of for a total of 15 minutes or more. Those contacts will then be notified of their exposure to COVID-19 so they can quarantine or isolate to stop further transmission of the virus. 

If a local contact tracer is trying to reach you, you will receive a call from "City of Somerville" or "Health and Human Services." Please answer the call! Your information will be kept confidential. A contact tracer will never ask for your social security number or financial information, share your name with your close contacts, or share your information with immigration officials or ICE. 

On Saturday, May 29, remaining COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in accordance with State guidelines.

City buildings and library buildings will reopen to the public on Monday, July 12, with limited staffing. Both visitors to City buildings as well as staff will be required to wear face coverings while inside the buildings. Residents are encouraged to continue using online services as much as possible.

As of May 29th, the City of Somerville will align with the State in lifting COVID-19 restrictions.

Please remember that COVID-19 is still present in our community and individuals and businesses should continue to take measures to prevent the spread of the illness. As this is an evolving situation, we will continue to update the guidelines to align with the State and CDC as they change. 

The following guidelines are required to keep patrons, the general public, and restaurant workers safe.

1. Face Coverings

• If you are fully vaccinated (two weeks past your final shot), you will no longer be required to wear a mask unless you choose to. 
• If you have not been fully vaccinated, the CDC recommends that you continue to mask indoors, and outdoors when social distancing is not possible. Please continue to wear a mask for your safety and the safety of those around you.
• When wearing a face covering, it must cover both nose and mouth.
• Businesses, at their discretion, may continue to require face coverings on their premises. Please follow any local business requirements.

  Note: Following State guidance, face coverings will continue to be required for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at all times when on public transportation, rideshares and taxis, in healthcare facilities, and in other settings hosting vulnerable populations. 

2. Social Distancing 

• To avoid overcrowding as businesses reopen and recognizing that there will be unvaccinated individuals in most settings, it is recommended to continue to manage social distancing in small and large gatherings to allow for a distance of at least 6 feet between customers. 

3. Size Limitations 

• Beginning on May 29th, businesses may revert to 100% indoor capacity according to their pre-COVID business permit.
• For restaurants with an existing outdoor seating license, in order to increase seating capacity outdoors, restaurant owners will need to apply for an outdoor dining license amendment with the Licensing Commission.
  
  • Amend your existing outdoor license
  • Apply for a new outdoor seating license

4. Food and Beverage

• Food and beverage service must end by 11:30 PM. All outdoor seating must be vacated by midnight.
• Alcohol must not be served to suspected intoxicated patrons, or anyone under the age of 21.
• It is recommended that individuals should not walk around an event eating and drinking indoors or outdoors in a crowded space.

5. Music

• No recorded or live music is allowed in any outdoor seating areas without a permit for an outdoor performance or event .

View additional frequently asked questions regarding reopening here.

• Guidelines for Farmers' Markets (PDF)
• Guidelines for Outdoor Markets (PDF)
• Rules for Social Distancing in Parks & Open Spaces

The City operates two pools: the indoor Kennedy School pool at 5 Cherry St. and the outdoor Dilboy Pool at 324 Alewife Brook Parkway.

The state operates the Latta Pool at Foss Park at Broadway and McGrath. 

The Kennedy School pool is open for lap swim (Somerville residents only). The Dilboy and Latta pools are currently closed and due to open in the summer. 

All pools have new COVID safety guidelines and protocols, including:

• Outdoor pools are open to all.
• The indoor pool at the Kennedy School will be available to youth leagues and camps, and family swim will be available with restrictions. Only one parent/guardian allowed per household to adhere to the indoor limitations.
• Pool attendees must socially distance (remain at least 6 feet apart from persons who are not members of your household) on the pool deck, when in the water, and in restrooms. Locker rooms and changing areas will be closed until further notice.
• Except when in the pool itself, face coverings must be worn at all times by persons age 2 and older. Persons unable to wear a mask for medical or disability reasons are exempt. Face coverings cannot be worn in the pool itself for safety reasons, and swimmers should maintain social distancing in the water.
• Pools will have decreased occupancy.
• Pool hours will be staggered to allow for cleaning. New pool hours will be posted on www.somervillerec.com and, once they are set, will be available by calling 311.
• Swimming lessons will not be offered.