From: City of Cambridge <pio@cambridgema.gov>
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2020 8:32 PM
Subject: COVID-19 Updates | April 17, 2020
 
First Round of Checks Issued to Residents from the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund Just Five Days After Launching Application Process
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale today announced that the City has distributed $88,308 to Cambridge residents and families from the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund—just five days after the fund began accepting applications. In its first three days of operation, the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund for COVID-19 received 645 applications. Of those submitted applications, 74 applications were approved and those checks were processed and mailed on April 17.

“Our goal has always been to provide relief to as many people as possible and as quickly as possible. Through the hard work of City staff over the last few weeks, our application for emergency funding went live on Monday. Today, just a few days later since our application launched, we cut the first set of checks to granted applicants,” said Sumbul Siddiqui, Cambridge Mayor.
What's New
COVID-19 Case Count

A total of 497 Cambridge residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since the coronavirus outbreak began, and there have been 17 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Cambridge residents.
Mayor's Disaster Relief Fund

A total of $3,441,506 has been raised and $88,308 has been distributed to help 74 individuals and families in Cambridge as of April 17, 2020.
Remember to Wear Face Coverings When Outside Your Home
As a reminder, and in keeping with the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Cambridge Public Health Department, the City of Cambridge today is strongly recommending that residents wear face coverings anytime they are outside of their home, especially in public settings in which physical distancing measures (ensuring 6 feet of space or more from others) are difficult to maintain. Those areas include grocery stores and pharmacies.

When wearing a face covering, residents should be aware that face coverings should:
  • Fit snugly, but comfortably against the side of the face;
  • Be secured with ties or ear loops;
  • Include multiple layers of fabric;
  • Allow for breathing without restriction (cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, persons who have trouble breathing, or anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance);
  • Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape; and
  • Be frequently washed using a washing machine with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle. They can also be hand washed with soap and warm water and left to dry.
Ask the Mayor and City Manager
Next week, Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale will be answering your questions about COVID-19, the City’s response to the pandemic, and its impacts on the entire Cambridge community during a 30-minute show being produced by 22-Cityview. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please complete this brief online form. Given that every question will not be able to be addressed during the 30-minute show, every question submitted will receive an email response by the end of next week.
COVID-19 Information Line & Resources
If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, call the Massachusetts COVID-19 Information Line at 2-1-1. The call center is equipped to handle a high call volume.
City of Cambridge | 795 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139