Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is again urging residents, ahead of expected good weather this weekend, to abide by state and city guidelines and recommending everyone wear face masks while outside their homes.
In recent days, Walsh has repeatedly said that too many residents are still ignoring these recommendations and that his office and the city’s 311 help line have been besieged by phone calls from residents upset that people around them aren’t covering their faces.
“There are still too many reports of people going into coffee shops and supermarkets without masks, particularly younger people,” Walsh said.
Walsh also cautioned residents going outside for exercise or recreation to resist the temptation to stop and talk to neighbors.
"Before you know it, there’s a bunch of people talking in a circle –- that’s social gatherings, and we’re asking people not to do that,” Walsh said.
“If you’re going for a walk and you see a crowd, we’re asking you to turn around and leave," he said. "It’s that simple.”
Walsh said that the city is ramping up testing efforts as well as an informational campaign to get safety information in multiple languages to residents across the city — especially in neighborhoods that have seen higher rates of infection from coronavirus, like East Boston, Roxbury, Mattapan and Dorchester.
Recent early testing results suggested a slight decrease in infections in East Boston, the neighborhood hardest hit so far by COVID-19 infections, Walsh said.
But those trends aren’t clear yet, Walsh said, and the city needs more data from COVID-19 testing and antibody tests, which can reveal whether an individual has already contracted and recovered from coronavirus.
But other data showed a slight increase in infections in other neighborhoods, including South Boston, Walsh said, adding that his office has received reports of residents walking on South Boston’s beaches without face masks.
The mayor also noted that while a significant decrease in road traffic has meant fewer injuries and fatalities overall, vehicles that have been involved in crashes have been driving faster than usual,.
“With less traffic, we’re starting to see more speed,” Walsh said, and warned that even an increase of 4 or 5 miles per hour can significantly increase the potential for injury or death in a crash.
Noting that May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Walsh said residents should take their mental health seriously. No one should be ashamed to be experiencing increased anxiety or fear, he said, and should not think that they are alone.
Residents seeking counseling should consult their insurance providers on telehealth providers, Walsh said. He added that the city is making counseling services available to residents without insurance or who can’t afford it otherwise, via the city’s 311 hotline.
Walsh said parents of students who need counseling services can reach out directly to their schools, which have additional mental health and counseling services available.
