Coronavirus in MA: Burlington Announces Closures, Cancellations

By Christopher Huffaker

BURLINGTON, MA — Burlington announced a number of closures and cancellations in response to the new coronavirus. The Burlington Public Library will close for at least two weeks, and the Council on Age and Recreation Department have canceled scheduled programming. Other municipal departments remain open but residents are asked to avoid unnecessary visits.

“The Council on Aging remains open and staffed but all nonessential programs and activities have been cancelled. Meal delivery, transportation programs, and tax preparation assistance will continue on as scheduled,” the announcement reads. “All staff will be available during normal operating hours and will be taking steps to reach out to our senior population in different ways. We urge all seniors to reach out to us for assistance and we will find a way to make it happen.”

While the library is closed, all due dates and holds will be extended through reopening. The library has no fines. Electronic resources remain available through the elibrary. Staff will remain available by email and phone, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, at 781-270-169 or ref@burlingtonpl.org.

The recreation department has cancelled all remaining winter programming, and will give household credits for remaining sessions that can be used for future programming. Registration for spring programs has been suspended.

For municipal services, the town asks that residents call ahead, as a number of town services can be provided online or by phone.

There are currently no plans to cancel meetings of town boards and committees. As part of the state of emergency, the governor issued an order Thursday that public meetings do not need to meet in public as long as they offer alternative forms of public access.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.