A message from City Council President Kim Janey regarding COVID-19

Dear friends,



The COVID-19 pandemic requires urgent, bold action at the federal, state, and local level. As President of the Boston City Council, my priority continues to be the health and well being of the general public and our dedicated staff that work alongside me and my colleagues in the Boston City Council. That is why I made the decision to close the Boston City Council and its premises, effective Monday, March 16, 2020.



Despite Boston City Council premises being closed, the work must continue! I have been working closely with my team and Central Staff to ensure that the Council is able to continue its work and conduct our City Council meetings and hearings virtually. I am proud to say we continued with our schedule of Council meetings, without interruption. On Wednesday, March 18th I chaired the Council's first ever remote City Council meeting! You can view the meeting here.



As public officials, we must address the enormous public health crisis confronting our City and nation right now -- COVID-19. As you may already know, there are a growing number of confirmed cases in Boston, and as more tests become available these numbers will continue to rise. And at the writing of this message, the first Coronavirus related death in Massachusetts was just reported.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking confirmed cases across the United States and my office is closely monitoring the situation here in Boston and across our Commonwealth. For the latest on case counts, please visit the CDC's website on COVID-19. The Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Emergency Medical Services are taking extensive steps to limit the spread of COVID-19. You can learn more about the City of Boston's response here.



We are asking that everybody take the basic preventative steps, which includes washing your hands thoroughly, covering your coughs and sneezes, as well as social distancing practices. The best way to limit the spread of the Coronavirus and to protect yourself is to limit contact with other people. Residents should stay home, if possible, especially our seniors and other vulnerable people like those with pre-existing health conditions, like lung disease, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, among others.



A public health crisis such as this permeates through every aspect of our society and we are working to mitigate the impact by expanding the resources that the City can offer and calling upon our state and federal government to do more. We already know that one of the largest areas of impact will be our economy. Small businesses are being hit hard. Many workers are being laid off and are without pay. It is important that the City and the Commonwealth move quickly to assemble resources to reduce the economic impact we are experiencing. A list of resources to help our non-profit partners, small local businesses, elderly residents, and school-aged children who rely on school-provided meals can be found here. This is a living document and will be updated as more resources become available.



In closing, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone on the front lines of this crisis. Many thanks to our doctors, nurses, food service workers, grocery stores and bodegas, teachers, first responders, our military personnel, workers who are experiencing low pay or no pay, and community activists who are organizing efforts... and a special shout to parents who are home trying their best to help their children with school work! We will get through this together! I am also grateful for the opportunity to lead and serve with so many dedicated elected officials. I am encouraged by how we are coming together during this crisis to support the communities we serve.



While staying home is best, it is important to stay connected! Be sure to check in on your loved ones via calls, email, texts, video calls and social media platforms. Stay safe. Be well.



In solidarity,



Kim Janey

Boston City Council President, District 7