Health & Fitness
'I Don't Want To Close The City Down:' Walsh Warns Of COVID Spike
The mayor said homes and workplaces are proving to be major coronavirus spreaders, and students who go home for Thanksgiving should stay.
BOSTON — Mayor Marty Walsh laid out a dire situation in Boston as coronavirus cases continue to surge, far outpacing pandemic metrics from the summer.
Walsh, speaking to reporters Tuesday outside City Hall, said homes and workplaces are major coronavirus spreaders in the city, which is struggling to contain another surge. He asked employers to continue allowing employees work from home whenever possible.
"In the workplace, quite honestly, I think what’s happening is people are letting their guard down," he said. "It’s understandable. You work with the same people every day, so you feel like they’re members of your household. But you have to remember everyone is leaving work and going around different people and having different interactions with folks."
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Walsh also said college students who return home for Thanksgiving break should stay there and finish the fall semester remotely.
Indoor gathering limits will still be in effect for Thanksgiving. Those hosting more than 10 people will be subject to a fine.
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"We don’t want to go backwards," Walsh said. "I don’t want to close the city down."
Boston's positivity rate last week was 9.6 percent, and the city today reported 224 coronavirus cases.
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