Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Updates

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. Follow this attachment for a complete dashboard of Lowell case data.

Follow this link for data and information about the status of the virus in Massachusetts. This is published daily by the Department of Public Health.

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. Follow this link to a list of sites in Lowell.

As of Tuesday, November 2, 2021, all individuals age 5 and older who live, work, or study in Massachusetts are eligible to be vaccinated. Please note that only Pfizer vaccine is authorized for use by individuals under 18 years old. Residents age 5-17 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.

Follow this link for more information on testing hours or to make an appointment.

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. Follow this link for more information regarding symptoms from the CDC.

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

INDOOR MASK ORDER
Wearing a face covering in public is an effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to keep yourself and those around you safe. In Lowell, per emergency regulation of the City of Lowell Board of Health, the use of masks or face coverings is required in indoor public spaces, houses of worship, and private spaces open to the public, regardless of vaccination status. This mandate is in effect from December 16, 2021 to February 2, 2022. Exceptions include children under the age of 2 and those unable to wear a mask or face covering due to a medical condition.

Read the full order from the Board of Health

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, regardless of vaccination status. 

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
Follow this link for daily and weekly case data previously available on this page.

An archive of previous weekly data reports.