Dear Mayors, Managers, and local officials,
First and foremost, a Happy New Year to you all. We at MAPC hope that 2022 will be a better and healthier year than 2021.
As I indicated in my message a few days ago—and as all of you know—COVID cases are surging, due largely to the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Even if Omicron symptoms are often less severe than Delta, especially for people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, the unprecedented volume of cases is beginning to overwhelm health care and municipal services. Hospitals are at capacity,health workers are stretched as never before, and the volume of cases is creating turmoil at schools and other vital workplaces we want to keep open. Worst of all, the death rate has also been increasing in Massachusetts for weeks. Yesterday, DPH reported a 7-day average of 32.1 deaths per day.
Fortunately, there are steps we can take immediately to keep people safe and out of the hospital. MAPC is encouraging the Commonwealth to take more substantive actions to curb infections, but there are many steps cities and towns can take—and we are ready to help.
Look out for several more emails in the coming weeks with steps that you can take to respond to Omicron. These will include guidance on procuring and distributing masks and tests, and resources on encouraging vaccination and boosters in your communities.
We'll also post all these details, resources, and information on www.mapc.org/responding-to-omicron. The page will be updated each time we send out an email announcing additional resources.
Here are three things you can do immediately:
Establish an indoor mask mandate.
Provide clear, regular guidance encouraging all residents to take protective measures.
COVID fatigue is real, but local officials continue to have a vital role to play in educating residents about how to reduce exposure and transmission, especially during the current surge. It is important to focus such messages on hard-to-reach or at-risk populations, including low-income residents, BIPOC communities, seniors, and transit-dependent workers. Visit our Omicron Response webpage for sample messages.
Consider imposing limitations on certain large gatherings, at least through January, or until case counts consistently decline.
