Boston mayor concerned over ‘significant uptick’ in COVID cases

BOSTON — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh spoke of reopening schools after Christmas during a Tuesday news conference, Thursday he spoke of possibly needing a new field hospital if hospitalizations continue to rise. Since Friday, Walsh said there have been 70 people hospitalized due to COVID-19, and over 800 new cases between Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It’s in the back of our mind what happens now if these numbers continue to go up, so I have some major concerns,” Walsh said

There are more than 30 testing sites across Boston and mobile testing that moves to high-risk neighborhoods.

Thursday, one mobile site in Jamaica Plain had two dozen people waiting before it opened.

“I’ve been tested twice already but I’ve had results that have taken two weeks,” said Tyler Devane of Dorchester.

Tyler Devane and his brother Philip did not visit their parents for Thanksgiving to keep them safe, they said.

Their motivation to be tested, another precaution.

“I feel fine but I just feel like doing my part because you never know there are people that have it worse than others,” Devane explained.

The brothers live in Dorchester which, along with East Boston and Hyde Park, had the highest positivity for the week ending November 26, the latest available city-data.

Mayor Walsh implored anyone who traveled during Thanksgiving week to get tested before being near anyone else.

“We need to be serious about this virus,” Walsh stated.

When asked if the city could rollback its reopen as a result of the uptick in cases, Walsh said that would not happen at this particular time, but added that the position could change at any moment.

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