Coronavirus: Somerville Orders Gyms, Theaters To Close

SOMERVILLE, MA — The city has ordered the closure of several more buildings effective Tuesday, March 17 at 12 a.m. All gyms, health clubs, theaters, entertainment venues, social clubs and houses of worship will shut down through at least April 6 amid coronavirus concerns, Mayor Joseph Curtatone announced Monday.

The city's playgrounds will be closed to the public, and fields and courts will only be open for passive use, not team games. Curtatone urged parents to keep their children home from daycare and avoid playdates if possible.

Curtatone also advised anyone 60 or older and anyone with a weakened immune system to stay at home, as health experts say they area more vulnerable to COVID-19, the illness associated with the coronavirus.

"We are living in unprecedented circumstances, and we cannot go on with business as usual," Curtatone said in a statement. "As a community, we must drastically change our way of life in the short-term to prevent even more dire consequences in the long-term, particularly for our most vulnerable."

On Sunday, Curtatone declared a local state of emergency in Somerville. The city has had three presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus.

Stay informed at www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus, or call 311 at any time with any questions you might have.