Citing four consecutive days of U.S. COVID-19 death totals above 1,000, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh talked about his concerns about thousands of students flocking to Boston area colleges next month from other parts of the country and again cautioned against large gatherings.
For those thinking about summer birthday parties and cookouts, the mayor said, “Be very careful. What you don’t want to see is outbreaks of coronavirus on your backyards, or in parks around the city of Boston.”
Walsh described himself as amazed that some elected officials refuse to wear face masks or talk about the importance of face coverings even as the COVID-19 case counts surge in some parts of the country.
Boston reported 51 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend and one death, raising the city death toll to date to 727.
“The virus is still very much a threat here and it will be for some time here in Boston,” Walsh said.
The mayor said he is in frequent contact with college and university officials about COVID-19 precautions they are taking, including safe housing options that involve the use of hotels.
Universities need to reach out to neighborhoods that may be affected by student housing changes, said the mayor, who plans to meet this week with college presidents to further discuss their reopening plans.
He said he plans to discuss the importance of knowing immediately about any significant rise in COVID-19 cases and how universities plan to adhere to state quarantine orders for students living on and off-campus.
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