Effective at noon on Tuesday, March 24, Governor Baker has ordered all non-essential business to close their physical locations and is advising people to stay at home to avoid person-to-person contact. The list of Essential Businesses that may remain open can be found at https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-essential-services.
Grocery stores, gas stations, and healthcare providers, among others will remain open for business. If you are unsure if a business in Plymouth is open, for the time being, please call them directly. We are still reviewing this issue and the Governor’s Executive Order and guidance and making decisions for Plymouth. We will be updating this information in the near future.
If you must go out to shop, please remember to abide by Social Distancing, wash your hands frequently, and avoid large groups of people.
The Town of Plymouth is communicating through a number of different media outlets to reach our citizens, including: The Town of Plymouth’s Face Book page, which is updated frequently, PACtv programming, and a special, daily hour-long PACtv show at noon, WATD on the radio, The Old Colony Memorial news paper and Wicked Local.com, the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, www.plymouth-ma.gov, and @Melissa Arrighi on Twitter. We will also be updating our phone message at Town Hall to include much of this information.
For the most recent state-level information from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, including testing information, please hang up and dial 2-1-1.
There have been questions about the information that can be shared about individuals who have contracted COVID19, those suspected of exposure to the virus, and those with whom information can be shared. Plymouth will not be sharing any personal information to members of the public or media. All of our residents are still protected by HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. These rules ensure the security of patients’ protected health information (PHI) and require reasonable safeguards to be followed to protect PHI against impermissible uses and disclosures. The HIPAA Privacy Rule restricts the use and disclosure of PHI to those providing healthcare operations.
Plymouth will not be disclosing the whereabouts, home address or Names of people with COVID19.
We can share the latest numbers of confirmed cases, information about the precautions you should take, and the latest list of rules and regulations enacted to contain the spread. We will be updating the Public Health website often with the latest information.
As has been the case, the Plymouth Town Hall and other administrative offices are closed and many Town employees are working from home. Please continue to leave voicemails and emails for specific offices and we will do our best to respond as soon as possible. The Police and Fire Departments are fully staffed and prepared to respond to emergencies. The Public Health Office is essential and will also be available – please reach out to them by email or call the department and leave a message. The best email is kkeane@townhall.plymouth.ma.us. Department of Public Works continues to maintain the water, sewer and road systems, and the transfer station will be open Friday, Saturday and Sundays.
Commonwealth Psychology is offering tele-mental health services and can be reached at 884-437-7924. Your place of worship or your family’s physician may also have additional mental health resources for you. Please call your doctor’s office for more information, but do not visit the office unless you are in need of medical attention. Remember to call ahead to your doctor to discuss your symptoms and carefully follow their instructions.
Please continue to remain at least 6-feet away from others, even while outside. Do not congregate in groups, either indoors or out. Playgrounds and parks are closed to group recreation. You may continue to walk, run and bike outside with members of you immediate household, or alone. The roads are open and you are not prohibited from driving. Please stay home as much as possible and avoid coming into close contact with others.
Thank you and take care,
Melissa G. Arrighi
Town Manager