Covid 19 Timeline of Events in Andover

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MARCH

  • The Andover Inn and Samuel's Restaurant suspended operations. [1]

MARCH 11, 2020

  • Governor Charlie Baker declares a state of emergency in Massachusetts. Joining CT, RI and NY and citing 92 positive cases of Covid-19 in the state, Baker encouraged older adults to avoid large crowds and cautioned businesses and residents to avoid international travel. Boston mayor, Marty Walsh announced the cancellation of the Boston Saint Patrick's Day parade. [2]
  • Lawrence General Hospital opened a community covid screening hotline.
  • President Trump suspends travel between US and Europe for Thirty Days.


MARCH 12, 2020

  • The Andover Townsman reports that local stores are running out of sanitizing products. [3]

MARCH 15, 2020

  • Area Churches offer services online. [4] [5]
  • Governor Baker closed public schools and banned all public meetings of more than 25 people for a minimum of three weeks. In addition all food and drink consumption at bars and restaurants was temporarily suspended. Visting at assisted living facilites was temporarily banned. [6] [7]

MARCH 16, 2020

  • Andover Select Board votes to postpone annual town elections in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. [8] [9]
  • Andover's first reported case of coronavirus is announced by Town officials. [10]

MARCH 19 2020

  • Andover Townsman headline: Coronavirus cripples Andover

MARCH 21, 2020

  • First confirmed death from Covid-19 in Massachusetts. [11]

MARCH 22, 2020

  • Eagle Tribune runs a front page story featuring local restaurants such as Yella Mediterranean Grille on Post Office Avenue in Andover responding to the pandemic with increased take out and curbside pick up service. [12]
  • Graduating seniors at Andover High School held a "last lap" parade on what would have been their last day of high school.
Second case of Covid confirmed in Andover. [13]

MARCH 23, 2020

  • The Select Board of the Town of Andover unanamously voted to declare a State of Emergency due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The vote enabled the town to be eligible for federal emergency funds. [14]

MARCH 24, 2020

  • Governor Charlie Baker orders non-essential businesses to close their physical locations for two weeks. Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and first responders, health care workers and others on the front lines of the state’s coronavirus response were allowed to remain open. [15]
  • Andover Public Schools make grab and go school breakfasts and lunches available for children in the district. [16]

MARCH 25, 2020

  • The "Light up Andover" contest is launched by the Town of Andover as a Covid-safe event encouraging residents to decorate their homes with outdoor lights and decorations in patriotic and Andover colors to show support to health care workers and first responders.[17]
  • An Eagle Tribune feature story about Andover mother, Tammy Kessel who began sewing face masks for the community and health care workers was featured on the front page. [18]
  • Teachers from High Plain Elementary School in Andover held a car parade for their home bound students. [19]

MARCH 26, 2020

  • Governor Charlie Baker extended school closures through May 4th and extended his order to include private schools and non-emergency day care centers "Governor extends school closures, "The Eagle Tribune," March 26, 2020. </ref>
  • Andover High School principal, Philip Conrad, announces his resignation and his move to become Superintendent in Bedford, MA. [20]

APRIL 1, 2020

  • An Andover firefighter tests positive for coronavirus. [21]
  • Raytheon's Andover facility reports seven cases of coronavirus. [22]

APRIL 5, 2020

  • The Eagle Tribune reports that eleven Andover firefighters are under quarantine due to exposure to the coronavirus. [23]

April 11, 2020

Town of Andover sponsors a six-hour "Bunny Hop" parade featuring the Easter Bunny riding on the back of a fire truck through Andover neighborhoods. [24]

APRIL 17, 2020

  • Carla LeBeranti, an Andover ten year old who used her birthday money to send meals to hospital workers is featured on the front page of The Eagle Tribune. [25]

APRIL 22, 2020

  • Governor Baker extends the school shutdown until September. [26]

JUNE 2020

Andover Elder Services Meals on Wheels Program doubled in size over it's service numbers from a year earlier.[27]


JULY 2020

  • In July 2020, Pfizer's Andover facility began mass manufacturing the RNA required for the mRNA vaccine it co-developed with the German pharmaceutical firm, BioNTech. Sold under the brand name Comirnity, the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine production and trials were sped up and scaled up to meet the urgent demands of a private-public partnership initiated by the US government which enabled special fast-tracked government approval of vaccines under trail. [28]
  • July 30, 2020 Andover High holds a graduation ceremony

AUGUST 2020

  • Cormier Youth Center re-opened with restrictions during the first week of August. Masking, distancing protocols and wellness checks at the door made it possible for

SEPTEMBER 2020

  • Town elections were held on Tuesday September 1st.
  • Town Clerk, Austin Simko reports that mail-in voting for the primary elections held the week before resulted in the highest turnout for a primary the town has seen in eight years. [29]
  • After several postponements, Annual Town Meeting was held as a one-day, outdoor event under a 30,000 square foot tent. [30]
  • Sts. Constantine and Helen and Greek Orthodox Church held its 35th annual Greek Festival as a drive-thru event on Saturday September 19th. [31]

NOVEMBER 2020

  • Andover reported over 200 Covid-19 cases. Town Health officers stated that the elder community had particularly hard hit. There were 71 postive cases at Marland Place, 21 of those

OCTOBER 202O

  • Merrimack College moved all classes online in the face of a newly announced outbreak of Covid-19 cases on campus. [32]
  • On October 4th, Memorial Hall Library stopped requiring reservations to enter the library. Seating was still limited and group work and gatherings were not permitted. Programming remained entirely online and masks were strongly encouraged. Wifi access had been extended to parts of the parking lot and curbside pickup was a popular service. [33]
  • Memorial Hall Library hosted its second annual StoryWalk featuring the book "I am perfectly designed by Karamo Brown." [34]
  • Merrimack College reported 110 cases of Covid-19. [35]
  • A study commissioned by the Essex County Community Foundation reported that one out of every five households in Essex County did not have a computer and/or internet access. The 'digital divide" findings highlighted the fact that lack of online access was most prevalent among low income and Latino families. [36]

DECEMBER 11, 2020

  • Andover designated a "red high risk" community for Covid transmission.

REFERENCES

  1. ↑ Andover Inn, Samuel's close indefinitely, Andover Townsman, August 6, 2020.
  2. ↑ State of Emergency, The Eagle Tribune, March 11, 2020, p. 1.
  3. ↑ Local stores run low or are out of sanitizing products, Andover Townsman, March 12, 2020
  4. ↑ Virtual Worship South Church streaming Sunday services for safety, Andover Townsman March 19, 2020
  5. ↑ Andover's South Church streams service for safety, The Eagle Tribune, March 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ Virus requires drastic move Governor says, Boston Globe, March 16, 2020.
  7. ↑ Schools close for three weeks, The Eagle Tribune, March 16, 2020
  8. ↑ Andover seeks to postpone election The Eagle Tribune, March 17, 2020.
  9. ↑ Town elections officially postponed, The Eagle Tribune, March 19, 2020.
  10. ↑ Andover's first case of virus reported. The Eagle Tribune, March 16, 2020.
  11. ↑ Massachusetts confirms first virus death, The Eagle Tribune, March 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ Almost as painful, The Eagle Tribune, March 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ Second case of Covid confirmed in Andover, The Eagle Tribune, March 22, 2020."
  14. ↑ Andover declares state of emergency, The Eagle Tribune, March 23, 2020.
  15. ↑ State issues stay-at-home advisory closese non-essential businesses, The Boston Globe, March 24, 2020.
  16. ↑ School officials: Lunch programs will continue, The Eagle Tribune, March 24, 2020.
  17. ↑ Town of Andover 2020 Annual Report
  18. ↑ Family team stitching hugs, The Eagle Tribune, March 25, 2020.
  19. ↑ Andover teachers use car parade to reach out to students, The Eagle Tribune, March 25, 2020.
  20. ↑ Andover High principal accepts top job in Bedford, "The Eagle Tribune," March 26, 2020.
  21. ↑ Andover firefighter tests positive for COVID-19, "The Eagle Tribune," April 1, 2020.
  22. ↑ Raytheon reports that seven employees have coronavirus, "The Eagle Tribune," April 1, 2020.
  23. ↑ Public servants hit hard by virus, The Eagle Tribune, April 5, 2020.
  24. ↑ Town of Andover Celebrates Easter with Bunny Hop Parade
  25. ↑ Andover girl uses birthday money to send meal to hospital workers, "The Eagle Tribune, April 17, 2020.
  26. ↑ Baker extends school shutdown, The Eagle Tribune, April 22, 2020.
  27. ↑ Town of Andover Annual Report 2020, page28
  28. ↑ Andover's Piece of the Vaccine, The Eagle Tribune, December 20, 2020.
  29. ↑ DiNatale, Genevieve. Mail-in voting balloons turnout, The Andover Townsman, September 10, 2020.
  30. ↑ Andover residents approve $197 million 2021 budget The Eagle Tribune, September 13, 2020.
  31. ↑ Edelstein, Brianna. Greek fest a drive-thru event this year, The Andover Townsman, September 17, 2020.
  32. ↑ DiNatale, Genevieve. As Covid-19 cases climb, students go remote, The Andover Townsman, October 1, 2020.
  33. ↑ Hughes, Madeline. Memorial Hall Library open to the public; seating limited, but no more reservations required, The Andover Townsman, October 15, 2020.
  34. ↑ Hughes, Madeline. Take a stroll, read a book. The Andover Townsman, October 15, 2020.
  35. ↑ Latest stats put Merrimack at 110 cases, The Andover Townsman, October 15, 2020.
  36. ↑ Leighton, Paul. Report Identifies digital divide in Essex County, The Andover Townsman, October 29, 2020.

SEE ALSO
Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts
Covid 19 Pandemic in Massachusetts
Timeline of the Covid 19 Pandemic

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