LYNN NEWS ROUND-UP
MARCH 22, 2021
See our COVID-19 related posts by clicking here.
Lynn municipal buildings now reopened to the public.
See below for more info.
The state of MA has advanced to Step 1 of Phase IV & updated its travel advisory. Click here for more info.
COVID Vaccine Clinics available for Lynn Educators March 26th, April 2nd, and April 9th. Click here for more info.
COVID-19 testing in Lynn this week
PROJECT BEACON
Located at 398 Blossom St. in Lynn
The City of Lynn has been selected as one of four communities across the Commonwealth for a COVID-19 express testing site. The site will be run by Project Beacon which specializes in high-volume appointment only testing. The Lynn Project Beacon site has been extended through at least June 30th.
The site is located at the Blossom Street Extension parking lot, commonly known as the Lynn Ferry Terminal, and has the capacity to perform up to 2,000 tests per day. Residents will be able to schedule their test appointment in advance, drive up to the site at their assigned time, be tested from the comfort of their car, and receive their results within 24 hours. There will be no pedestrian, walk-up access allowed at this site. For all Massachusetts residents, there is no cost for this test, no health insurance is required, and you will not be asked about your immigration status.
Residents can create an account, make appointments, and view their test results all through one, online platform for the Project Beacon COVID-19 Express Testing site at the Blossom Street Extension by visiting app.beacontesting.com. If you have questions about getting tested or issues regarding appointments or results at Project Beacon, please go to www.mass.gov/express-testing, call Project Beacon’s Call Center at 617-741-7310, or email at help@beacontesting.com. Appointments will become available several days in advance at a time.
MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM (MONDAYS ONLY)
Located in Lynn Marketplace – 43 State St. in Lynn
The City of Lynn has entered a partnership between Mass General Brigham and North Shore Medical Center to offer a testing site. A mobile van will offer free walk-up testing for asymptomatic Lynn adults and children every Monday from 1-5pm in the Lynn Marketplace parking lot at 43 State Street for the duration of the winter and spring. This testing site has moved from Manning Field.
This walk-in testing is available for asymptomatic individuals who primarily live, work and go to school in Lynn. No insurance is needed, no ID is required, and no appointment is necessary. They will also not ask about immigration status.
This program is made possible in part through funding from the National Institutes of Health grant and RADx-UP (Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics in Underserved Populations). For more information please visit http://www.kraftcommunityhealth.org/mobile-covid-testing.
LYNN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Located at 50 Blake St. in Lynn
Testing for COVID-19 is available for everyone in the Greater Lynn Community at Lynn Community Health Center through March 31st. You may be tested regardless of your symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. Call 781-581-3900 for an appointment. Appointments are strongly recommended, limited walk-in appointments are available. You do not need to be a patient at LCHC or have health insurance.
Two trailers were set up along the Blake Street side of the lot directly across from the health center to continue testing this winter. Patients enter the site through the gate across from the Mulberry Street alleyway and enter the first trailer for registration. They will exit the first trailer and proceed to the second trailer for testing. After their test they will exit the second trailer and leave the site through the gate across from the LCHC entrance. Patient movement will be one-way through the site,with plans in place to support social distancing at all times.
LCHC has created a video that helps explains how to make an appointment, what happens when you get to LCHC for your test, & how to access your testing results. Please click here to view the video.
LCHC Coronavirus Updates / informacion sobre covid19
COVID-19 testing times this week at LCHC:
- Monday: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Tuesday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 10:00am- 7:00 pm
- Friday: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
OTHER RESOURCES
- Testing at Lynn Urgent Care – 776 Western Ave in Lynn
- This location accepts MassHealth & tests children. Walk-ins are accepted, but it is recommended to make an appointment. This location is open from 8am-8pm every day, and you can call them at 781-281-7081 for more info. & to set up an appointment. Find out more by clicking here.
- Testing at CVS on South Common Street in Lynn
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Every individual who wants a test must make an appointment by clicking here. Bring proof of identity & in-state residence, as well as test confirmation email/text message. Be sure to have your mobile phone in case we need to reach you. Stay in your car. Minors ages 10-15 will need to be accompanied by an adult. Confirm charge for asymptomatic testing online, before booking your appointment.
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- Additional resources, although some info. may now be out of date:
The information above was taken from the City of Lynn, Lynn Community
Health Center, & State of Massachusetts websites.
Find a mass vaccine location near you by clicking here.
For phasing details and the most up-to-date vaccination timeline please click here.
For a list of workers currently eligibile for the vaccine please click here.
A vaccination site has opened at Lynn Tech for Lynners.
Find out more & watch a video tour by clicking here.
Schedule an appointment by clicking here.
Lynn City Hall & other buildings to reopen to the public today
Lynn City Buildings including: City Hall, DPW, Police and Fire Department Offices will reopen to the public on Monday, March 22nd. Also starting Monday, March 22nd, the Library will be open regular hours for in-person services to the public by appointment only.
Face coverings and social distancing will be mandatory for those entering all city buildings. Entrance and exit for visitors will continue to be limited to Johnson Street for City Hall and Main Entrances for the other City Buildings. Visitors will also be asked to provide contact information and what specific departments they are visiting for contact tracing purposes.
The above info. was submitted to us by Mayor McGee’s office.
COVID-19 vaccinations for K-12 educators, child care workers and school staff
COVID-19 vaccine eligibility requirements and information for K-12 educators, child care workers, and school staff in Massachusetts.
Eligibility
Who is included in this group?
Anyone who is employed on a full or part-time basis by public or private pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, and those who work as or for licensed childcare providers, including center-based and family care providers. This includes all PK-12 and childcare staff, including but not limited to direct employees and contractors in the following categories:
- Educators
- Paraprofessionals/education support professionals
- Childcare educators
- Family childcare assistants
- Childcare program directors
- Childcare center directors
- District and school administrators
- Clerical and administrative staff
- Bus or van drivers
- Custodial staff
- Food service staff
- After-school program staff
- Student teachers, interns, teaching assistants, and aides
- School Safety Officers
It includes people who work in full time, part time, or in-school volunteer roles, or who are employed by another organization to provide education or support in a school or childcare setting (e.g. early intervention providers, student mentors, tutors, arts programs, individuals responsible for educator observations or coaching, etc.).
This group does not include:
- Privately employed babysitters, nannies, and au pairs
- Informal friend, family and neighbor care
- Camp counselors
- Certified, licensed, or retired educators who are not currently employed as an educator.
- Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff, unless the individual is serving as an educator (e.g., educators at Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children).
- Department of Early Education and Care staff, unless the individual is employed as a licensor or investigator who is required to conduct on-site visits and inspections.
How to schedule & prepare for your appointment
Designated Educator Vaccination Days: Massachusetts has designated 4 days where the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites will only offer 1st dose appointments for K-12 educators, K-12 school staff, and child care workers. These dates are:
- Saturday, March 27
- Saturday, April 3
- Saturday, April 10
- Sunday, April 11
Workers in this group must use the preregistration system to request an appointment at one of the 7 mass vaccination sites and attest they are a K-12 educators, K-12 school staff, or child care worker.
Step 1: Preregister for a mass vaccination location or find a location and schedule your appointment
There are different ways to find a vaccine appointment:
- Preregister at VaccineSignUp.mass.gov to be notified when it’s your turn to schedule an appointment at one of 7 mass vaccination locations: Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, Reggie Lewis Center, DoubleTree Hotel in Danvers, Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Natick Mall and former Circuit City in Dartmouth.
- Use VaxFinder.mass.gov to search for appointments at pharmacies, health care providers, and other community locations
Massachusetts’ preregistration system makes it easier to request and schedule an appointment at one of the 7 mass vaccination locations. People can preregister for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at mass vaccination locations only. More locations will be added to the system in April.
Once you sign up for preregistration, you’ll receive weekly status updates. You can opt out at any time if you find an appointment elsewhere. Once an appointment is available, you’ll be contacted with the opportunity to book the appointment and have 24 hours to accept it.
Massachusetts receives a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government each week. Due to high demand and very limited supply, it may take several weeks to schedule an appointment or to be notified that an appointment is available at mass vaccination locations.
Individuals 75 and older without access to the internet or who are unable to preregister or schedule their appointment online can call toll free 2-1-1 or (877) 211-6277 for assistance.
Step 2: Learn how to prepare for your appointment and what you need to bring with you.
The above information was taken from the State of MA website.
Moulton, Warren, Markey, and Trahan introduce Legislation to Protect Essex National Heritage Area
Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Lori Trahan (D-MA) along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) re-introduced the Essex National Heritage Area Permanency Act of 2021.
Despite generating more than $150 million in economic impact and supporting thousands of jobs each year, the Essex National Heritage Area will expire on September 30, 2021 if Congress does not extend the Essex National Heritage Area’s ability to receive federal money and raise the total amount of funding for which it is eligible. The bill introduced today would do both.
Annie Harris, the Director of the Essex National Heritage Area said: “This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the designation of the Essex National Heritage Area. A lot has been accomplished but there is much more to be done. The pandemic has shown us how important it is to provide opportunities for all our residents to enjoy the assets available in this area. From identifying places to experience the outdoors to providing on-line materials for remote learning, Essex Heritage has been pleased to serve this region during the pandemic, and we are looking forward to playing an even bigger role as the economy recovers. We are very grateful for the support that the MA delegation is providing.”
The Essex National Heritage Area spans 500 square-miles and connects 34 cities and towns through a region that includes Lawrence, Salem, Lynn, and Gloucester. Since the Essex National Heritage Area’s creation in 1996, Congress has been authorized to invest up to $17 million in the area over the course of the area’s lifespan. The original legislation had a sunset of 2012 for when the Essex Heritage could receive funding.
Congress put caps on spending and an expiration date on National Heritage Areas when it created them in 1996 because the idea that National Heritage Areas would work as designed was unproven. Since then, studies from the National Park Service and several non-government economists have shown overwhelmingly that National Heritage Areas are smart investments. For example, an independent evaluation of Congress’s investment in the Essex National Heritage Area reports that the area supports about 2,000 jobs and generates more than $150 million in local economic activity. That economic activity leads to $14.3 million in tax revenue.
The legislation introduced today would permanently eliminate the sunset provision and also remove the funding cap for the Essex National Heritage Area.
Unlike National Parks, most National Heritage Areas lie within large communities and are managed by independent, local nonprofits that receive some of their funds from the federal government through the National Park Service. Heritage Areas must match the federal funding with local and private funds. Research from the National Park Service indicates every $1.00 Congress invests in a National Heritage Area leads to $5.50 in local economic activity.
The above is a condensed version of the full press release.
Please click here to read the press release in full.
The above press release was submitted to us by the Essex National Heritage Area.
From Mayor McGee’s office: The Lynn Public Health Department has confirmed that as of today, the number of active, confirmed positive COVID-19 cases is 324 with 27 new cases today. 15,632 Lynn residents have recovered and 203 have died. The total number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Lynn since March 21, 2020, including those who have died and recovered, is 16,159. Please visit the City of Lynn COVID-19 Data Dashboard which is updated daily.
COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available at Lynn Tech Fieldhouse for people who live or work in Lynn & Nahant or are Lynn Community Health Center Patients and meet state eligibility requirements (Massachusetts Phase 1 & Phase 2 Step 1, 2 & 3: 60 year of age or older or with two or more chronic health conditions, certain workers, and educators are eligible. Residents age 75+ may be accompanied by one caregiver who can book an appointment themselves.) Please visithttps://www.lchcnet.org/covid-19-vaccine-scheduling to make an appointment online. Residents without access to the Internet can call 2-1-1 to make an appointment 7 days a week.
Please visit http://www.ci.lynn.ma.us/covid19/resources.shtml#p7GPc1_2 for the most up to date COVID-19 testing information, as well as more detailed information on the State and City of Lynn’s Reopening Guidelines. We will continue to provide regular updates on COVID-19 through the City website (www.lynnma.gov), social media, and the Smart 911 emergency notification system (sign up at www.smart911.com).
If you have a news story that you would like to share, please contact us via email or call 781-780-9460.
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