ROWLEY — The Town of Rowley announces all public buildings and town offices are closed to the public until further notice per order of the Rowley Board of Selectmen. These actions have been taken to advance social distancing measures and as a precaution against coronavirus.
As a precautionary measure, effective March 17, all town offices and buildings have been closed to the public. Town administrative offices are operating on a limited basis. The town will maintain communication with the public by email, telephone, regular mail, and fax. Residents are encouraged to make payments online if possible. If not, payments and forms can be mailed or left in the Town Hall drop box. This policy will continue until further notice.
Active Town Closures
The following will be closed to the public until further notice:
- Town Hall
- Town Hall Annex
- Rowley Public Library
- Council on Aging
- The Department of Public Works and Rowley Water Department are closed to the public, but will continue to provide essential services.
Questions concerning coronavirus should be directed to the Rowley Board of Health at 978-948-2231. Anyone having difficulty reaching a Town department is asked to call the Town Administrator at 978-948-2705.
The Police Department and Fire Department will operate as normal. However, they ask residents not to come to either department unless it is absolutely necessary.
Firearms licensing will be conducted by appointment only until further notice. Officials are asking new applicants to wait to apply until the COVID-19 situation is over. For those that are renewing, most steps in the renewal process can be done online or through the mail.
Town Meeting has been moved to May 26. There is currently no plan to reschedule the Annual Town Election, which is slated for May 12.
On Sunday, March 15, Governor Charlie Baker announced new guidelines for all Massachusetts residents to promote social distancing and help to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- No gatherings of any kind of more than 10 people at one time, in one place.
- All public and private schools in Massachusetts that haven’t already done so will close on Tuesday, March 17 until at least April 7.
- All bars and restaurants will only be able to serve takeout and delivery customers.
Rowley residents, business owners and community members are asked to abide by these guidelines from the Governor’s office.
In accordance with the most recent guidelines outlined at the state level, Rowley’s closures are a proactive step to limit the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Prevention
The COVID-19 situation is very fluid, and new information and guidelines are being posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a regular basis. The CDC offers the following guidance for how COVID-19 spreads.
If anyone displays symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, cough or shortness of breath, they should not go to work or school and are advised to contact their primary care physician. According to the CDC, symptoms of the virus appear within 2-14 days of exposure.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) recommends that residents continue with good hygiene practices including:
- Practice good hand hygiene! Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds including under your fingernails. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol content) can be used when soap and water are not available.
- Keep your hands away from your face.
- Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing with a tissue and discard it immediately. Cough into the sleeve over your elbow instead of your hand. Wash your hands often when coughing and sneezing.
- Stay away from people who are sick and stay home when you are sick.
Please check for updates on the Town’s website: www.townofrowley.net Any questions concerning the coronavirus should be directed to the Rowley Board of Health at 978-948-2231. For more information, visit the DPH website by clicking here and the CDC’s website by clicking here.
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