Published in the March 16, 2020 edition.
By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD — Around suppertime on Friday, March 13, Billy’s Roast Beef & Seafood on Main Street was business as usual. Everyone crossing the restaurant’s threshold seemed to be observing the Lenten tradition of eating fish on Friday. And there was plenty of it — fried clams, baked haddock and scallops, you name it.
But as of Tuesday, March 17, because COVID-19 (coronavirus) is so contagious, Billy’s and all other Wakefield restaurants and bars must close their doors with the exception of filling takeout orders and delivering food. The ban was announced on Sunday by Governor Charlie Baker, who has also prohibited gatherings of over 25 people. The ban will continue until Sunday, April 5.
The highly contagious disease affected a reporter for the Daily Item and her family who had been invited to celebrate the 90th birthday of a close female relative at a party on Sunday afternoon but received word that morning that the party had been canceled.
A spokesperson for the family said that it was not worth risking the health of the elderly woman or any of the other invitees.
Restaurants are not the only ones being forced to close. Religious institutions have also been shuttered.
Late last week, the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, announced the suspension of all Sunday Masses and other religious services throughout the state until further notice. The Episcopal Diocese also recommended halting services. Among the local churches closed this weekend were Most Blessed Sacrament, St. Florence Parish, St. Joseph Parish and Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
The First Parish Congregational Church did hold services on Sunday and there was a decent turnout.
One Wakefield couple took matters into their own hands and went to Breakheart Reservation to hold their own religious service.
Chickie Taylor and her husband Wayne Taylor invited Wakefield’s Christian community over Facebook to participate, but only one other couple decided to join them.
“We prayed, we sang, we waved the American and Appeal to Heaven flags, had communion and read the 91st Psalm,” said Chickie Taylor. “Psalm 91 is a petition to God for protection and rescue, and we prayed this for everyone in Wakefield and beyond.”
In accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the local Board of Health and town leaders, all schools in Wakefield are now closed due to the deadly virus until at least Friday, March 27, Superintendent of Schools Doug Lyons announced last Thursday. As of Monday, all schools are to closed for three weeks.
The McCarthy Senior Center and Beebe Library are also closed to the public. Library patrons are encouraged to use the online collection at www.wakefieldlibrary.org/collection/. Along with these closures, the entire Sweetser Lecture series for 2020 has been canceled, according to board member Sara Murphy. She said that the series would resume in 2021.
Over the weekend, the sunny weather brought out many drivers and shoppers as well as many others who were observed cycling or walking around Lake Quannapowitt.
In Reading, Market Basket was teeming with shoppers on a hunt for milk, bread and frozen foods on Friday night, but they were out of luck. Unless a shopper was looking for almond milk or willing to settle for half ‘n half, the dairy case was empty. Store Manager Sean Castles said that deliveries were expected over the weekend.
As of Sunday at around 9 p.m. there were 75 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Middlesex County, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The number is not broken down into the cities and towns affected.
More cases are expected to be confirmed this week along with reports about fatalities.
For more information about COVID-19, check the Department of Public Health at www.mass.gov where regular updates on COVID-19 are posted.
