BIG Closed through March 27th: Government Meetings Will be Covered

Dear BIG Members & Brookline Community,

We are actively monitoring the Covid-19/Coronavirus spread, related public policies, and community impact as the situation evolves daily. 

BIG is committed to continue bringing you local news, information, and community-based content you can trust, while keeping our staff, interns, volunteers, members, and community safe. Our team is stepping up to cover special info sessions and extra meetings in the Town of Brookline related to this topic, and will continue to cover regular and emergency town select board and school committee meetings as able. 

Brookline Public Schools have just announced that they will close tomorrow, March 13 through March 27 as a precautionary measure in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. As BIG is in a school building, we will also close during this time. 

Please visit the Town of Brookline’s updates on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Given the rapidly changing nature of this outbreak, we will carefully reassess the situation in the coming weeks and will share updates as they become available. More information about our ongoing and emergency coverage can be found on our website.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all navigate this very challenging time. 

-The Team at BIG

Stay tuned in and receive updated, local information from BIG

Watch on Cable: Via our community cable channels- RCN channel 3, 15 & 613 and on Comcast 3 & 23. 

On Tuesday, March 10th, BIG covered the Town’s press conference, located here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0AfKLi5y78

Today, Thursday, March 12th, we have recorded another press conference with the Town of Brookline’s Department of Health & Human Services: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL-oKvo-UQE&list=PL_kXbXA0-Qd5I80cuQ7z2JcfkuRhTXVyC

Watch on Social Media: 

For regular updates:

Stay Safe

We ask everyone to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and practice good personal hygiene if making a reservation at BIG. 

Best Hygiene Habits include:  

  • Wash your hands often and thoroughly, as well as before and after working out, with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
  • When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. You can also cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid sharing drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, dishes, towels or other items. Wash these items thoroughly with soap and water after use.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick whenever possible.
  • Practice other good health habits: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Brookline’s Department of Health and Human Services remains our primary point of contact for any communicable disease outbreaks and the town of Brookline’s task force is working diligently with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor and plan for any outbreak. More importantly, when the illness impacts residents, the Health Department will guide people through a notice to quarantine, a request to self-quarantine and/or a confirmation of illness with a recommendation to obtain a test for COVID-19. We will continue to take our lead from their direction and guidance. Included are some links below to assist you in understanding COVID-19 and explain what each of us can do to help stop its spread. 

Brookline Health Department

https://www.brooklinema.gov/446/Health-Department

MA Department of Public Health 

MA DPH COVID -19

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Travel Information Coronavirus Disease 2019