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Dover COVID-19 Updates & Information
This global public health concern is evolving. Residents can expect that information and recommendations may change. The Town will provide updates as needed, which will be posted here. Please visit our COVID-19 Community Resources page and COVID-19 Business & Employment Assistance page for specific information and helpful links to various programs.
COVID Update 9/14/2020
Change in Plan for High School Reopening
On September 14, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Andrew Keough, sent a letter to members of the school community in which he referenced a gathering in Sherborn of 100-150 high school students that occurred on Friday evening, September 11. Appropriate masking and social distancing at the party were not followed. The local public health consequences of the gathering in this time of COVID-19 aren't yet clear.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, September 13, the Dover Board of Health, in conjunction with a similar action by the Sherborn Board of Health, ordered that the in-person hybrid re-opening of the Dover Sherborn Regional High School, originally scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, be postponed for at least one week. By that time, it will be clear whether there are COVID cases in our communities as a consequence of the party. If there are new cases, the Board of Health will provide appropriate follow-up.
The Board of Health wants the public to know that our members are available to answer questions that may arise as a result of this event from the citizens of our community.
Gerald Clarke, Sc. D., Chair
Stephen Kruskall, M. D. skruskall@doverma.org
Kay Petersen, M. D. kaypetersen7@gmail.com
Board email: BOH@DoverMA.org
Telephone: (508) 785-0032 x232
Read Dr. Keough's Letter, September 14, 2020
The DPH daily and weekly COVID dashboards are located at: https://www.mass.gov/info-
Important Reminders:
- Please remain vigilant. Don’t assume that you and others around you are COVID negative!
- Wear a mask when you are out in public
- Stay 6 feet away from individuals who aren’t part of your household
- Clean your hands frequently
- Avoid social gatherings
- If you must be with others outside your household, wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart, and remain outdoors
- Plan to have a flu shot this fall
- If you have symptoms that could be consistent with COVID, even if mild, seek testing and avoid contact with others while symptomatic and while awaiting your test result (https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-testing).
- If you are contacted by the Public Health Nurse as part of a contact trace, please answer the call and participate fully. It helps our community stay healthy, and it is also required by law. The Public Health Nurse keeps all records confidential.
Modified Town, School & Department Operations
Effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Town buildings will be closed to the public until further notice . Buildings will be staffed and services will be available online and by appointment only.
Please click here to view all modified operations across Town Departments.
Dover Sherborn Schools will be closed from March 13th through May 4, 2020. Please visit the Dover-Sherborn School Website for more information & online learning updates.
- School Reopening Efforts. The Dover Sherborn Regional School District Reopening Taskforce is well underway compiling a reopening plan for the upcoming school year. The District is developing three models for the fall: in-person, hybrid (a combination of in-person and remote learning) and remote learning. Details of all three plans and the direction in which we intend we can manage safely is due to the DESE (the Department of Early and Secondary Education) by early August.
There is no COVID cluster in Sherborn, and the sports program suspension has been lifted.
The Sherborn Board of Health and the Public Health Nurse investigated numerous positive COVID antibody tests that were completed in Sherborn last week. Additional tests indicated that all of the antibody tests indicated either past infection with COVID or were false positive tests. There were three positive PCR tests, which indicate active infection, in Sherborn. The cases are not linked to one another, and so, by definition, they do not represent a "cluster" of cases. The Dover Board of Health advised resumption of the sports programs that had been suspended.
The Dover Board of Health has approved re-opening the book and textile bins at the transfer station effective June 17. Recycling containers will only be available only at the Transfer Station.
Signs will inform residents of the appropriate safety procedures to follow at the book and textile bins. The Transfer Station requires face masks for all residents to protect the staff and other residents and has preventive measures in place to promote social distancing.
Areas that currently remain closed are the Swap Shop, Furniture Shed and Deposit Trailer.
While the transfer station remains open, users will be required to park in every other space in order to encourage social distancing.
All library services are suspended, including reserving materials, delivery and pick-up of materials.
The Library continues to provide online resources for individuals. More information on how to access these services can be found here: http://www.dovertownlibrary.org/
- Until further notice, we are asking citizens to avoid coming into the lobby of the police department, unless it is a case of an emergency.
- We will be temporarily allowing our officers to take reports over the phone for any issues or incidents that we feel would not require a visit to your home. Some examples could be neighbor disputes/civil matters, calls for advice, credit card/identity theft, and animal matters that are not a threat to public safety.
- No citizen fingerprints will be taken at the station until further notice.
- We are not accepting any food items for police until further notice.
- If you have a situation that can be resolved over the phone by speaking with a police officer, please call our business line at 508-785-1130. Please continue to use 911 for all emergencies and medical calls.
Staying Healthy & Safe
- Practicing Preventative Measures
- Mental & Emotional Health
- Travel Notification Requirements
- COVID-19 Testing
Health & Hygiene
Many of the things you do to help prevent colds and the flu can help protect you against other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds .
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
- Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
- Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
There are currently no vaccines available to protect against this novel coronavirus infection.
Social Distancing
- Summer parties are frequent sources of COVID clusters: Parties are frequently the source of clusters of COVID cases, including for people in Dover. Even small parties (<25 attendees) are risky because partygoers tend not to use face coverings or follow the rules of social distancing
You can help prevent COVID-19 with social distancing:
- Call/Facetime/online chat with friends and family
- Stay home as much as you can
- If you must go out:
- Don’t gather in groups
- Stay 6 feet away from others
- Don’t shake hands or hug
- And please continue to wash your hands frequently
Maintaining Emotional Health & Well-being
Taking care of your emotional health and well-being during this time is important. Decreasing stress can help bolster your immune system and can help keep you and others around you healthy. Please visit the Mass.Gov website for important resources and tips.
Travel Notification Requirements
Anyone traveling to Massachusetts should self quarantine for 14 days. Additionally, the Dover Board of Health requires that all travelers coming to and staying in Dover, permanent resident or not, notify the Board of Health via fedorj@doversherborn.org immediately.
- Travel risk and new travel order with mandatory quarantine: Though states in the northeast have the lowest incidence of COVID, there is substantial risk that travelers from other parts of the country might be unknowingly infected and spread COVID here. On July 24, 2020, Governor Baker issued a new travel order that requires all visitors and returning residents to complete a “Massachusetts Traveler Form” unless they are coming from a state that has been designated a lower risk COVID-19 state or fall into an exemption category. The new travel order also requires that visitors and returning residents arriving in Massachusetts from any place other than a COVID-19 lower-risk state must quarantine for 14-days unless they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result administered on a sample taken not more than 72-hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts. Failure to follow the rules for quarantine could result in a fine. More details are available at mass.gov/matraveler.
- A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO HELP PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM COVID: QUARANTINE AFTER TRAVEL In many parts of the United States, COVID cases are skyrocketing. The northeast is the exception, where infection rates are relatively low and stable, as in Massachusetts, or very low and falling, as in several other northeastern states. There is a serious risk that travelers coming to Massachusetts from areas with high infection rates could be unknowingly infected and spread COVID here after arrival. As a consequence, most northeastern states, Massachusetts included, are directing travelers from other parts of the country to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival. Travelers to Massachusetts from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey are exempt from the quarantine requirement. The Board of Health urges Dover residents to comply with the directive in order to prevent the spread of COVID. For more information regarding domestic and international travel restrictions and recommendations, please visit the state’s travel information page here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/travel-information-related-to-covid-19
If a recent traveler in your home develops any symptom of COVID during quarantine, they should be tested and should contact their primary care provider. The CDC list of COVID symptoms is at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html., and testing sites are available at: https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-testing. Please note that many local grocery stores deliver, either directly or through Instacart, and the Dover Council on Aging, at 508-513-5734, is available, no matter your age, to advise about other logistical problems that may arise during the quarantine period
COVID-19 Testing. The Town strongly encourages people who are concerned that they may have symptoms of COVID-19 to arrange to be tested through their primary care providers. If someone has a COVID swab test (PCR) that is positive, the provider who ordered the test will follow up, and the Dover Public Health nurse will also call to discuss isolation and quarantine in the home, as well as give advice about managing symptoms and, if needed, help arrange for groceries and other supplies. Some people have chosen to have coronavirus antibody blood tests performed. The role of antibody tests isn’t entirely clear yet, as they may indicate past infection, but they may also indicate active infection.
Essential vs Non-Essential Businesses
Please visit this link on Mass.Gov to understand the definitions of essential vs non-essential businesses during this time.
Always visit Mass.Gov directly for the latest information and programs.
Stay Informed with News, Updates & Alerts
- Follow Town of Dover Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/townofdovermass
- Follow Town of Dover Twitter: https://twitter.com/TownDover
- Sign up to receive emergency alerts (call & text) via Dover Police Department: http://doverma.org/public-safety/911-notification/
- Mass211.org – 24/7 Residents with questions should call 2-1-1 from any landline or cellphone . Callers dialing 2-1-1 will hear an automated menu of options. Callers press 2-6 for Coronavirus. Residents can also reach 2-1-1 through a live chat option on the Massachusetts 2-1-1 website.
- Dover Sherborn Regional Schools is providing regular updates to families. These are also available on the DSRS website.
Local Hospital Information
Partners HealthCare Coronavirus Hotline: 617-724-7000 (Open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days/week beginning on Monday, March 9)
Beth Israel Lahey Hospital: Monitoring COVID-19: Keeping our Communities Healthy
Beth Israel Deaconness Needham: https://www.bidneedham.org/
Norwood Hospital: https://www.norwood-hospital.org/
Metro West Medical Center: https://www.mwmc.com/
Newton Wellesley Hospital: Coronavirus Information: What you Need to Know
Regional Health COVID-19 Information
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Links:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Link:
Mass.Gov Resources & Information on COVID-19
Town of Dover COVID-19 Response Group
Working together to evaluate and implement local and regional best practices and recommendations are:
- Board of Selectmen
- Board of Health
- Town Administrator
- School Representative
- Police Chief
- Fire Chief
- EMS Administrator
- Park & Rec Director
- Council on Aging Director