Richmond Board of Health Endorses Thanksgiving Safety Letter as COVID Cases Surge

RICHMOND -- November 10, 2020, Richmond Board of Health endorsed a Thanksgiving COVID-19 safety letter and warned of a rapidly worsening county outbreak at its November 10 Zoom meeting. Public health nurse Emily Jarrett told the board that Berkshire County recorded approximately 50 positive COVID-19 cases on the day of the meeting, up sharply from 16 the previous day, and that Richmond's five active cases between October 19 and November 1 were on track to be closed but that a surge was expected. The board agreed to adapt a letter drafted by Richmond Consolidated School nurse Christina for town-wide distribution through the Friday email newsletter and town website ahead of Thanksgiving. Board chair Tony said he would personally visit Balderdash, an outdoor music venue drawing crowding complaints, to assess compliance with the state's November 2 gathering order, which caps outdoor gatherings at private residences at 25 people and requires all gatherings to disperse by 9:30 p.m. The board also directed Jarrett to give Bartlett's Orchard a new mid-December deadline to obtain food-safety certification, warning that the orchard's operating permit could be at risk if kitchen repairs and training are not completed by December 30.