MIDDLETON, MASS. (WHDH) - Middleton officials are asking Gov. Charlie Baker to reconsider classifying their town as a high-risk coronavirus community, preventing some businesses from re-opening, because of high infection rates at the prison in town.
The state’s Covid-19 risk map shows Middleton in red, with an average infection rate of 58 per 100,000 residents — the worst in the state. Because of that, the town can’t progress to step two of phase 3 of Baker’s re-opening plan, which affects occupancy at restaurants, hotels and gyms.
But officials say the Essex County Correctional facility is the coronavirus hot spot, not the town. When prisoners and employees were tested in early October, officials found high rates of infection — 139 of 1007 inmates, or 14 percent, tested positive, and 33 of 685 jail employees, or 5 percent, also tested positive.
Town Administrator Andrew Sheehan said that the town has only one other positive case of the virus.
“We are in the red solely because of the outbreak at the Middleton jail,” Sheehan said, adding the designation is hurting local businesses and town revenues. “The loss of meals tax revenue, lodging tax revenue is pretty substantial for us, we would just ask that [Baker] take another look at that.”
Baker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a general statement, the state’s COVID command center said it works with towns on restrictions.
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