A message from Commissioner McCosh: Stay home, stay healthy, and stay safe

A weekly message from Commissioner McCosh in support of the local disability community.

Dear Disability Community Members,

For weeks now, local COVID-19 cases have been increasing daily. Official models from the CDC have been predicting that infections in Massachusetts will peak sometime in the next week or two, so we are still facing some tough times ahead.

However, all of our hard work and sacrifice is beginning to pay off. Our changes in behavior are making a real difference in slowing the spread of the virus. Boston’s hospitals still have adequate capacity to admit new patients, nobody who has needed a ventilator has been denied one, and availability of PPE is slowly beginning to increase.

The message we keep hearing from officials is that it’s now more important than ever that we continue to stay home, stay healthy, and stay safe.

Yesterday we learned that schools will be closed through the end of the year, daycare centers will stay shuttered through June, and still only essential businesses are allowed to be open right now. Restrictions to our social behaviors will remain in place until we ensure that the coronavirus becomes a much smaller threat to the population.

But Mayor Walsh has begun a number of new initiatives to ensure that all Boston residents stay safe during this state of emergency, including increased food distribution, protections for renters and homeowners, and financial help for small businesses.

Hopefully things will start to look brighter soon. Everyone has been doing a great job so far – let’s all try to hang on a little longer! Please reach out to us if you need any information on support or resources during this time.

Sincerely,