“These first 3,500 tests are a good start, but you can be sure we will be advocating for more. No matter who you are or whether you have health coverage, you should have access to this kind of free testing.” –Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

A new community-wide COVID-19 mitigation program for testing, tracking, contact tracing, and safe social isolation for Somerville residents was announced today by Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) CEO Assaad Sayah, MD, and Doug Kress, of the Somerville Board of Health. 

Below is a message from the Somerville, MA Community Alert System. Sign up to receive these updates by email, text, or phone.

Dear Community Members,

Here is a COVID-19 update for Tuesday, April 28.

Please also be sure to check somervillema.gov/coronavirus for information and resources that are updated frequently.

City buildings will remain closed to the public until at least Monday, June 1. Further delays are possible, and we will share updates as we continue to monitor the COVID-19 crisis.

The Somerville Arts Council wasn’t going to let spring go by without PorchFest, but to keep everyone healthy and safe this year, it will be CouchFest! On Saturday, May 9, from noon to 6 p.m., you can tune in to live and pre-recorded performances from local musicians right from your couch. To find out who is performing and when, visit this year’s CouchFest map at somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest/2020.

In anticipation of the easing of statewide stay-at-home restrictions on May 18, the City is preparing for a phased resumption of construction under strict COVID-prevention protocols. In preparation for May 18, the State has also eased some restrictions on non-essential businesses and is seeking feedback on how to safely reopen the economy.

Starting this week, the City of Somerville will be distributing 100,000 civilian three-ply masks with a focus on getting masks to people most vulnerable to COVID-19. Because these masks can only be reused a limited number of times, the City is also putting out a call for donated cloth masks that can also be distributed to residents.

Join us for a series of virtual town hall meetings with Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone where you can learn about local COVID-19 impacts and the City's response. Five meetings are planned - one geared toward a general audience and four tailored to specific communities.

Residents can participate and watch in a range of ways:

Pre-Applications for this coming fiscal year’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds are now available and are due on Monday, May 25 at 4:30pm.

An estimated $700,000 is available for projects that preserve Somerville’s historic resources and expand and improve our parks and recreational land. The City invites residents, organizations, and businesses who would like to propose a project on City-owned land or request funds for a feasibility study to submit pre-application forms by Monday, May 25. 

City buildings will remain closed to the public until at least Monday, June 1. Further delays are possible, and we will share updates as we continue to monitor the COVID-19 crisis.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced today that the citywide state of emergency due to the threat of the COVID-19 virus will continue beyond Monday, May 18. Currently closed or restricted businesses and activities will remain suspended until restarting according to existing or forthcoming City-issued reopening schedules. The City’s suspension of all City-sponsored or -permitted events is now also officially extended through the end of the year.