Leaders of Massachusetts cities pummeled by the first wave of the coronavirus say it’s time to rethink gatherings and potentially even business reopenings as cases and positivity rates climb.
In Revere, where the 14-day positivity rate remained above 6% for a second week, Mayor Brian Arrigo said he’s going to have to make some quick decisions about future city-sponsored events, including fall recreational programming and the annual Halloween trick-or-treat.
“We need to take a look at what we’re doing as a city,” Arrigo said. “We need to continue to be vigilant, but there have to be consequences.”
Revere was one of the 86 cities and towns with positivity rates higher than the 14-day state average this week — down from 96 last week, according to weekly data provided by the Department of Public Health. The state’s 14-day positivity was 1.82% as of Wednesday, up from 1.74% last week.
Of the 17 communities, including Revere, that are part of the state’s “Stop the Spread” testing initiative through Aug. 14, only one — Lowell, at 1.13% — had a positivity rate lower than the state average. Lynn had the highest, climbing to 6.12% from 4.39% last week, followed by Revere and then Brockton, which rose to 5.12% from 4.16%.
Chelsea, which had the highest cumulative infection rate in the state since January, had a 14-day positivity of 4.93%, up from 3.76%.
“Our numbers are starting to tick up a little bit,” Chelsea City Manager Thomas Ambrosino said. “What’s happening in Chelsea is a reflection of what’s happening around the state.”
Ambrosino called for Gov. Charlie Baker to roll back outdoor and indoor gathering limits, saying, “I think that could be helpful without having a dramatically negative impact on economic activity.”
Baker has warned repeatedly over the past week that gathering sizes could be reduced if the state’s positive test rate continues to rise. He said this week some business regulations could also become “more strict.”
State guidelines under Phase 3 limit outdoor gatherings to no more than 100 people and indoor gatherings to no more than 25. Ambrosino is leaving it up to the experts to decide a new number, but said tightening the cap “seems like a measured response.”
Chelsea City Councilor Roy Avellaneda, a local restaurant owner who’s yet to reopen, said rolling back business reopenings would “hurt” those still “just trying to scrape back” — but acknowledged the step may be warranted if conditions worsen.
“Some businesses such as the gyms may have to close down,” Avellaneda said. “But if we have to just ride off this curve again it’ll have to be a necessary step.”
