Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that is generally spread from person-to-person when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to the flu or other respiratory illnesses. 

The City of Lowell was notified of its first positive case on March 10, 2020. As of August 9, there have been 18,033 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Lowell residents. A high volume of new cases has been reported in recent weeks in Lowell and across Massachusetts due to the Delta variant. For a complete dashboard of Lowell case data, click here.

Data and information about the status of the virus in Massachusetts is published daily by the Department of Public Health, and can be viewed online here. 

Led by the Health Department and Emergency Management team, the City of Lowell has undertaken a comprehensive response effort since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. These efforts have taken place in coordination with state agencies and local health partners, including Lowell General Hospital, Trinity EMS and the Lowell Community Health Center and have resulted in positive developments that have enhanced the community’s health infrastructure, including expanded testing and hospital bed capacity. Currently, the City of Lowell is focused on the timely and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to Lowell residents. 

VACCINE INFORMATION
The COVID-19 Vaccine is safe, effective, free, and widely available in Lowell. Vaccine appointments are widely available in Lowell and across Massachusetts. For a list of sites in Lowell, click here.

As of Thursday, May 13, 2021, all individuals age 12 and older who live, work, or study in Massachusetts are eligible to be vaccinated. Please note that only Pfizer vaccine is authorized for emergency use by individuals under 18 years old. Residents age age 12-18 should seek clinics administering Pfizer vaccine.

The City of Lowell's Health Department and Emergency Management team are working actively to ensure the timely, efficient and equitable distribution of the vaccine to Lowell residents.

TESTING
Through a partnership with Massachusetts Department of Public Health and CIC Health, the City of Lowell is currently offering free COVID-19 testing at Cawley Memorial Stadium.

For more information on testing hours or to make an appointment, click here.

SYMPTOMS
While transmission of COVID-19 has diminished in Lowell and around the region, it is still critical to remain alert to symptoms of COVID-19. 

Symptoms may appear within two to fourteen days of exposure to the virus, and include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, chills, repeated shaking with chills, and loss of taste or smell. The severity of these symptoms ranges among patients. Click here for more information regarding symptoms from the CDC.

Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should avoid contact with others and seek testing. 

STATEWIDE MITIGATION ORDERS/ACTIONS
The Baker-Polito Administration has announced all statewide COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted beginning Saturday, May 29.

Face coverings are not currently required in public spaces, however individuals who are not fully vaccinated are advised to continue wearing a face mask in certain settings. Face coverings will still be required on public transportation, at health care facilities, congregate care settings and schools. Additionally, certain businesses and venues may continue to require guests to wear masks, despite the lifting of the statewide mandate.

As of July 30, 2021, given concerns related to spread of the Delta Variant, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Department of Public Health updated its guidance on use of face coverings to recommend that a fully vaccinated person should wear a mask or face covering when indoors (and not in your own home) if you have a weakened immune system, or if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated. More information is available here.

All industries will be permitted to re-open at full capacity, and all limitations on gatherings will be rescinded.

The state of emergency, initially declared on March 10, 2020, ended on June 15, 2021

CITY HALL OPERATIONS
Lowell City Hall and all other City offices are currently open to the public during regular business hours. 

Members of the public entering any City building are asked to continue wearing a mask or face covering if they are not fully vaccinated. 

MONITORING AND CONTACT TRACING
The City’s Health Department is notified of each confirmed case of COVID-19 in Lowell. Public health nurses contact each patient to ensure that they are aware of isolation requirements, to ensure that they have the resources and support needed to get through isolation, and to determine others that they have been in contact with. Through a process known as contact tracing, the Department’s staff works to connect with each contact to advise them of protocols given their exposure to the virus.  Contact tracing is a critical public health function in containing the spread of coronavirus. It is important that residents who are contacted by a public health nurse cooperate fully. Please look out for incoming calls from a 978-674 exchange, or that appear as "City of Lowell" on your caller ID, as these may be contact tracing calls. 

In certain cases, contact tracing may also be conducted by the state through Partners In Health. These calls will come from numbers with 833 or 857 prefixes and should display "MA COVID Team" on Caller IDs.

CASE DATA
Daily and weekly case data previously available on this page is now available at: lowellma.gov/coviddata..

An archive of previous weekly data reports is available here.