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From YouTube: COVID-19 Update
Description
Mayor Martin J. Walsh hosts a media availability to discuss updates related to COVID-19.
A
As
we
get
set
up,
I
just
want
to
again
thank
thank
the
press
for
being
here,
and
I
wish
I
wish
we
didn't
have
to
do
this.
It's
something
that
these
press
conferences
in
very
difficult
times,
and
I
want
to
thank
you
because
I
know
that
you
have
a
difficult
job
as
well,
and
the
concerns
that
you
and
your
family
have
as
well.
So
thank
you
for
being
here
today.
A
I
want
to
first
of
all
thank
superintendent
casilias
members
of
the
boston
school
committee,
leadership
from
the
boston
teachers,
union,
custodians
union,
bus
drivers,
union
bus
monitors,
union
members
of
the
city
council,
members
of
the
legislature
and
all
the
partners
that
are
here
with
us
tonight
and
they've,
been
part
of
this
conversation.
A
I
want
to
thank
everyone
here
for
staying
with
us.
As
this
situation
unfolds.
The
coronavirus
is
a
serious
public
health
emergency,
as
we
all
saw
today,
the
president
declared
a
national
emergency
in
massachusetts.
Our
numbers
continue
to
climb.
We
now
have
123
cases
across
the
state
and
25
here
in
the
city
of
boston.
A
The
city
of
boston
has
been
over
the
last
several
actually
about
a
week,
and
a
half
have
been
taking
aggressive
actions
to
stay
on
top
of
it
and
keep
people
safe
and
healthy.
Our
response
has
been
informed
by
public
health
and
medical
professionals.
The
situation
is
truly
day-to-day
or
even
hour
to
hour.
A
Two
days
ago,
we
temporarily
closed
three
campuses
of
the
elliott
k-8
school
in
the
north
end
at
the
recommendation
of
public
health
officials.
After
a
non-student
member
of
the
school
community
tested
plaza
for
the
coronavirus,
I
want
to
be
clear.
There
is
no
evidence
of
anyone
with
the
virus
at
the
elliott
school
or
any
of
our
schools
right
now.
That
being
said,
we're
not
giving
we're
not
going
to
wait
for
more
cases
to
be
confirmed.
A
A
A
However,
if
the
situation
in
boston
with
the
coronavirus
changes
for
the
better
and
we
all
pray
that
it
does,
we
will
bring
our
students
back
before
april
27th,
the
boston
public
schools
will
be
open
this
monday
for
a
regular
school
day
to
allow
parents
and
flexibility
to
plan
for
students
to
gather
their
belongings
and
for
discussing
learning
materials
that
can
be
used
at
home
after
collaborating
and
discussing
with
our
partners
and
our
public
health
experts.
We
agree
that
this
is
the
best
and
most
responsible
course
of
action.
A
A
A
We
met
with
the
boston
city
council
for
an
hour
and
a
half
meeting
earlier
today
to
talk
about
schools
and
other
issues
pertaining
to
coronavirus
in
the
city
of
boston.
I've
consulted
with
public
health,
health
experts
every
step
of
the
way
to
ensure
we
are
making
the
right
decision
to
protect
the
public.
A
Our
goal
is
to
keep
bostonians
healthy
and
fight
the
coronavirus.
That
means
containing
the
spread
of
the
virus
as
best
we
can
and
ensuring
our
health
care
system
has
the
capacity
to
treat
those
with
that
need
help.
The
decision
that
we
are
making
today
is
not
an
easy
one,
but
the
best
way
we
can
meet
that
objective.
A
There
are
many
factors
that
go
into
school
closings.
We
must
do
in
a
way
that
honors
the
unique
needs
of
all
of
our
boston
public
school
students.
We
know
that
many
of
our
other
school
districts
across
the
commonwealth
have
closed.
Those
districts
do
not
have
the
same
complexities
that
we
have
here
in
boston.
A
A
A
One
third
of
our
students
are
english
language
learners
and
over
twenty
percent
have
programs
to
accommodate
people.
Young
people
with
disabilities
put
it
all
together.
It
takes
all
students
in
massachusetts
who
face
multiple
challenges.
At
the
same
time,
the
boston
public
schools
educate
43
percent
of
those
students.
A
A
We
are
finalizing
plans
right
now
to
continue
these
services
and
we'll
provide
more
details
for
our
schools
and
families
on
sunday
this
sunday
coming
tonight.
We
wanted
to
give
families
a
heads
up,
so
they
can
stop
making
plans
and
prepare
for
what's
next
for
them.
We
understand
the
fear
and
concern
and
the
anxiety
that
families
are
facing.
A
We
want
you
to
know
that
the
city
is
here
to
help
you
in
every
way
that
we
can
please
be
assured.
We
are
doing
everything
thoughtfully
and
will
continue
to
keep
our
families
updated.
As
a
plan
is
implemented,
every
single
step
we
take
is
to
prevent
and
slow
the
spread
of
the
virus
in
this
potentially
saving
lives.
A
A
We
hope
by
taking
necessary
action
now
we
can
get
our
students
back
in
the
classroom
as
soon
as
possible.
Whatever
challenges
this
crisis
brings
we'll
meet
them
together.
So
I
want
to
thank
you
and
at
this
point
I'll,
take
any
questions
struggle
with
child
care
in
this
next
six
weeks.
We're
going
to
be
working
on
that
situation,
we're
going
to
be
talking
about
that
over
the
next
couple
days
and
how
we
can
do
that.
One
of
the
we're
gonna
we're
gonna
have
to
close
our
schools.
We'll
be
closed.
A
A
Other
districts
have
closed
for
about
two
weeks.
How
do
you
end
up
deciding
on
until
april
27.,
because
we're
going
to
be
putting
plans
in
place,
I'm
assuming
that
those
districts
are
closing
for
two
weeks
but
they're
going
to
be
they're
going
to
continue
that
that
closure?
A
A
On
yeah,
I
said
that
if,
if,
if,
if,
if,
if
god
is
good
and
looks
down
on
us
and
gives
us
the
opportunity
to
open
the
districts
and
the
coronavirus
starts
going
the
other
way,
we
absolutely
will
do
that,
but
from
all
the
experts
that
we've
talked
to
the
medical
experts
and
and
the
experts
that
are
on
your
shows,
it
doesn't
appear.
It
doesn't
seem
like
that
will
be
the
case.
A
No
we've
been
talking
about
school
closings
for
at
least
over
10
days
now,
if
parents
have
questions
or
need
assistance,
what's
the
best
place
for
them
to
reach
out
to
the
boston,
public
schools
and
we're
going
to
be
sending
out
information
to
our
parents,
we're
going
to
be
giving
them
a
lot
of
information
as
we
move
forward
tonight,
they
have
received
a
notice
about
about
school
closings
for
tuesday
and
then,
as
we
get
the
plan
up
and
running,
we'll
be
sending
information
out
to
our
parents,
and
many
of
the
parents
can
still
contact
the
principals
and
the
leaders
in
the
school
they're
going
to
have
connections
any
thoughts
on
food
being
available.
A
A
Is
there
any
plan
for
home
schooling
or
home
learning,
yeah
we're
working
on
that
right
now
and
that's
part
of
what
we're
working
with
the
teachers
who
have
been
great
working
with
us
in
our
district
and
in
figuring
out
how
monday
we'll
have
some
material
available
for
some
of
the
kids
that
go
home,
and
then
the
teachers
are
going
to
be
working
throughout
the
week
to
put
together
different
packets
of
information,
so
our
kids
can
take
home
and
learning
learning
information
that
won't
be
computer
required,
no
we're
working
on
some
computer
stuff
as
well
all
that'll
be
explained
on
sunday,
any
updates
on
chronovirus
testing
here
in
the
city,
no
other
than
the
numbers
I
gave
earlier.
A
That's
all
I
know
at
this
particular
moment.
I
know
that
we
constantly
get
updated
from
public
health
and
we're
working
with
them.
I
had
a
conversation
today
with
congressman
lynch
and
congresswoman
presley
about
testing
and
getting
more
more
resources
from
from
the
federal
government
chairman
aaron
mikowitz
is
here
today
as
well
from
the
legislature.
We
talked
a
little
bit
about
working
with
the
legislature
on
some
other
stuff,
so
I
think
over
the
course.
A
The
next
couple
of
days
we'll
be
getting
more
information,
whether
it's
funding
or
testing,
and
have
you
guys
decided.
A
Yeah
we're
going
to
be
working
on
that
this
we're
going
to
make
sure
that
that
our
our
employees
are
compensated.
This
is
a
very
difficult
time,
a
very
trying
time,
and
I
think
that
it's
important
for
us
that
that
one
less
stress
for
the
for
the
res
for
the
for
the
employees
of
the
city
of
boston
is
we're
not
going
to
add
that
to
their
plate,
all
right,
any
other
questions
that
the
city
might
shut
down
at
some
point,
no
yeah
there's
a
rumor
going
around,
but
that's,
I
don't
think
that's
accurate.
A
I
think
that's
just
a
kind
of
that's
why
I
say
to
people
all
the
time,
particularly
with
social
media
before
before
anything's
reported
just
confirm.
All
of
that
there's
been
a
lot
of
reports
over
the
last
couple
of
days.
A
You
know
fake
twitter
accounts
and
people
tweeting
things
out,
and
we
just
just
always
check
with
the
city
or
the
state
to
confirm
before
any
of
that
gets
repeated
check
with
the
city
of
the
state
to
make
sure
that
it's
accurate
information
or
if
you
see
it
on
tv,
if
you
see
it
on
the
news
stations
or
newspapers,
you
know
they've
been
very
responsible
and
putting
a
lot
of
information
out.
So
thank
you
for
that.
All
right
thanks.
Everybody.