Revere, Everett share border and COVID-19 problem

BOSTON — On a hot Sunday in August, Revere Beach is crowded, but not packed -- with decent swaths of sand dividing beachgoers.

Unfortunately, the impressive display of physical distancing isn’t reflected in the city’s COVID-19 case rate, which remains one of the highest in Massachusetts.

During the 14-day period ending August 5th, Revere posted 155 new cases of the virus -- a positive test rate of more than six percent -- three times higher than the state average.

The dismal numbers triggered city hall to kick off a 'Weekend of Action' around the pandemic. At the beach, a city van mounted with a loudspeaker broadcast multilingual reminders to wear masks.

A good idea, according to resident Louis Theodore.

“I don’t know how long this is gonna be going,” said Theodore. “But you know, it is safer to wear the mask.”

At city parks, patrols have been increased to break up large gatherings. And Parks and Recreation employees will be disinfecting equipment more often.

Revere also plans to open a second community testing site under the Baker Administration's Stop the Spread initiative, which offers free testing to any resident.

Next door in Everett, COVID-19 cases are also on the rise. Of the 1,700 residents tested in the two weeks ending August 5th, just under five percent came up positive.

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria issued an executive order, effective Monday, August 10th, that makes wearing a mask in public places in the city mandatory.

Previously, mask-wearing was 'advised.'

The order allows fines of up to $300 per violation. DeMaria acknowledges the change may seem extreme -- but he calls the virus extreme.

"It should have been done a long time ago," said Jeffrey Delgado, who works at the Stop & Shop on Broadway. "Around the whole country."

"It depends on the environment you're in," countered his co-worker, Wilfredo Figueroa. "Right now, we're six feet apart, everybody's six feet apart. It's not necessary. But I feel like if you're going to downtown Boston over there where it's crowded I feel like it's necessary."

Nelly Garcia says she sees plenty of people not wearing masks in Everett -- and that concerns her.

“It’s very important, you know, for everybody to use a mask, especially in this time,” said Garcia.

Could other communities crack down like Everett and Revere?

Several nearby are also posting recent positive test rates far and above the state average. Saugus is above 4%. Chelsea is at nearly 5%. And Lynn is above six.

"Let's face it, if you breathe, it goes out," said Chris Johnson from Chelsea, who endorses more mask-wearing. "If you don't let it go out, less of us will catch it. So, works for me."

Johnson considers himself lucky to be working from home in a city in which more than 3,100 residents have become infected with COVID-19 since the pandemic began -- 112 in the last two weeks alone.

“So I don’t have to commute,” said Johnson. “But people who commute on the buses and things like that, you know, there’s a lot of people getting sick.”

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