Published in the November 25, 2020 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The town is experiencing increased COVID numbers similar to communities everywhere, Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio reported on Monday. He told the Town Council that since Nov. 1, Wakefield has had 132 new cases but stressed that the spread does not appear to be happening in the schools or coming from the schools.
What is being seen, Maio said, is a number of home “clusters” as the disease spreads among family members. He attributed some of the spread to what he termed “the Halloween effect,” suggesting that people did not heed admonitions to limit holiday celebrations to small groups.
Things may be trending back in the right direction, however, as positive cases in town dropped from 84 between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14 to 49 between Nov. 15-21, Maio reported.
He did express concern for what could happen after Thanksgiving if people are not careful over the holiday.
Maio and the town’s Communications Director Jennifer McDonald talked about a campaign that the town is initiating in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce to remind people of measures that they should be taking to curtail the spread.
As part of that messaging, the Town Council approved a banner that will hang across Main Street. The banner will read, “It’s all about the Ws – Wear your mask, Wash your hands, Watch your distance, Wakefield Pride.” Large posters with similar messaging have already been placed in the kiosks around town.
Another part of the campaign consists of 4-inch by 4-inch window “clings” that will be made available to residents and businesses. The clings will have the same messaging as the banner and can be placed in the windows of homes, cars and businesses. The Chamber of Commerce will be running a weekly contest whereby individuals who participate in the cling campaign can win gift certificates for local restaurants.
Businesses will also be encouraged to participate in the campaign, Maio said, and will be eligible for a weekly drawing to receive a floral arrangement for their business.
The four-inch square clings will be available in the next week or so in the Town Hall lobby, The Savings Bank lobby, the Co-operative Bank and elsewhere, Maio said.
Maio noted that Wakefield’s COVID positivity rate has been running at about 3 percent and the town is currently in the “yellow” category on the state’s COVID map. Currently, he said, about 1,500 local residents are being tested each week. He said that the town is currently looking into offering free testing for local residents so that they will not have to wait in long lines at the nearest free testing site at the Square One Mall in Saugus.
The town’s Emergency Management Director Tom Walsh acknowledged that, like people everywhere, local residents are experiencing “COVID fatigue.” But he noted that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” as vaccines come on line. In the meantime, he urged residents to “be diligent and wear the masks and social distance. If you do this,” he said, “you’re going to save lives.”
