Swansea Urges Residents To Take Coronavirus Precautions

SWANSEA, MA—As the Town of Swansea sees a rise in positive coronavirus cases, town officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and follow guidelines to prevent further spread of the virus.

According to the most recent statistics released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday, Swansea is now a red zone, meaning it is a high-risk community and has at least 10 average daily cases per 10,000 residents and a 5% positivity rate.

As of Thursday, there have been 84 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Swansea in the last two weeks, bringing the total number of cases in the town to 324, and Swansea's average daily incidence rate has risen from 25.1 to 37.6.

"It is imperative that residents continue to wear their masks, practice social distancing and get tested when sick to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19," said Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein in a press release. "As we approach the holiday season, residents should be reminded that this is not the time to let their guards down. Per Gov. Baker's new orders, residents should adhere to the stay at home advisory and avoid social gatherings."

The press release went on to remind residents that the new state measures are in effect as of November 6 and include a stay at home advisory between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., the early closure of businesses and activities at 9:30 p.m., a face covering requirement in all public places, and a new order reducing the gathering size limit to 10 people at indoor private events and 25 people at outdoor private events.