New cases reported daily, add to count
By JOSH RESNEK
The Labor Day weekend has come and gone.
Going into the weekend Everett remained in the Massachusetts top five most infected cities, sharing this distinction with Chelsea, Revere, Lynn and Brockton.
Coming into the new week, Everett city hall reported nine new cases of the virus.
Last week’s total was about 70 new cases.
Cumulatively, the city has reported 2,142 confirmed cases of the virus 1,831 now recovered.
Everett residents have reported on a number of websites, including the Mayor’s, that many people are apparently not wearing masks at locations throughout the city.
Of the numerous people commenting on the Mayor’s website many have asked that he close the parks because of large groups of kids congregating, most of them apparently not wearing masks.
Two popular Everett breweries were closed for cleaning Monday after a customer who later tested positive for Coronavirus went barhopping on Sunday, one owner said.
“We are voluntarily closing today for cleaning and a mental health break after a customer called us today and informed us they had tested positive for Coronavirus,” Bone Up Brewing Co. owner Liz Kiraly said.
The bar reopened on Tuesday.
The bar announced the closure on Instagram saying, “We will be closed today 9/7 for a deep clean and a deep breath. Why people decide to go bar hopping while waiting for their test results is beyond us.”
A second bar in Everett’s well known and highly trafficked Fermentation District, Night Shift Brewing, also announced it would close on Monday in a cryptic Instagram post saying, “Everett will be closed for remainder of today due to some standard safety precautions. All relevant parties will be informed of any information they might need to know.”
Night Shift Brewing has reopened as well. Both bars employ contact tracing protocols and take down names and phone numbers of guests who visit their taprooms.
At Encore, added vigilance contributed to an incident free weekend at the hotel and casino.
The state reported Tuesday that 3,400 restaurants have closed down for good since the beginning of the epidemic in mid-March.
On the school front, public schools remote only teaching year begins September 15th.
The new normal caused by the virus has reinvented public school education at least until November for Everett’s public schools.
Prospects at this point in the pandemic for the city budget do not appear to be as ominous as last month, especially with the state promising to fully fund its portion of the budget.
Layoffs and personnel changes made last month due to the effects of the virus on tax collections and free cash may be reversed, although it is doubtful.