Waltham Health Officials Implore Residents To Wear Masks

WALTHAM, MA — As the number of cases of coronavirus continue to rise in Waltham, which has been designated a high-risk city for the past three weeks, health officials are imploring anyone within the city to wear a mask, stay home if they're sick and return calls from her department when they call about contract tracing.

"We are trying to get the message out," Waltham Public Health Director Michelle Feeley said.

Last week Waltham declared a public health emergency and ordered everyone to wear a mask or risk a $300 fine.

As of Thursday 1,602 people in Waltham had tested positive for the virus, according to state data. Of those 79 had died.

The number of Massachusetts residents who died after testing positive for the coronavirus rose by 22 to 9,559, according to the Department of Public Health Wednesday. The number of people who have tested positive across the state since March rose to 142,941. State officials also reported that 12,722 more people had been tested for coronavirus, bringing the total to more than 2.56 million.

Some experts have suggested that positive tests per people tested is a better measure of the pandemic. In Waltham that number per 100,000 people is 13.9. In the past two weeks 145 people in Waltham have tested positive.

Unlike in some communities where a party or super spreader event contributed to the spread of the virus in the city, there’s no real link or cluster that her department has been able to pinpoint as to why the cases have stayed high in Waltham.

After conferring with the state, she said, it comes down to community spread. People are going out infected and, maybe they think they have a cold and it's not a big deal and they go to work, or they go to the store.

"Community spread," she said. "It's the worst kind."

That’s why the city is really trying to push people to wear their mask and limit gatherings.

"I understand people want to get together," said Feeley. "But we’re really trying to push the message to be aware of what’s going on and really think it through. The last thing you want to do is infect someone like a family member or a friend who you want to protect."

For those who are skeptical about how effective masks are, she points to science.

"The science is showing that it may not eliminate [the virus] completely, but it reduces the risk," she said.

Practicing mask-wearing in combination with hand washing, the physical distancing and staying at home when you're under the weather or have come in contact with someone who is under the weather, is much more effective than not doing those, she said.

"We hear a lot of people saying they’re tired of the Pandemic," said Feeley. "Everyone is tired of the Pandemic. It’s pandemic fatigue, but it’s still here. It’s still real. I just hope everyone really listens and wears the mask, wash your hands, physical distance, if you are sick stay home."

Another major issue her office is coming up against is tracking down people who may have come in contact with others who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Her team wants to find those people and encourage them quarantine or to take a test to ensure they are not, in turn, spreading the virus unwittingly.

"We have a lot of people who do not answer the call," she said. And that's a major hurdle to stopping the spread, she said.

If you get tested and it comes back positive for the coronavirus, the public health nurse or the contact tracers from the state will call the number that you gave them. It should show up on the Caller ID as from the State of Massachusetts COVID Team, she said. If the state team doesn't call, her local team with either a 617, 781 or even a 314 number may call.

"Please answer the call," she said. "If you get a voice mail, call it back."

The public health officials will ask three questions and ask you to think about who you may have come in close contact with.

"They always try and work with you to not take much time," said Feeley.

It could help keep someone get tested and realize they have the virus before they spread it to friends and family or colleagues.

Yes, they use that information to track down others who may have contracted the virus by coming in contact with you, but Feeley said they do not disclose who shared their names or contact. And the contact information itself is only for health workers.

"A lot of people have fear," said Feeley. "A lot people don’t realize we are extremely confidential, we just want to warn people. We are trying to stop the spread."

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .