Hudson to hire new health worker in COVID-19 fight

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By Dakota Antelman, Contributing Writer

Hudson – It’s no secret that local health departments have their hands full with COVID-19.

Now, Hudson is trying to alleviate some of that strain by hiring a temporary “Community Health Worker.”

Announced March 30, the position is a part time gig “responsible for conducting outreach and education activities related to the new coronavirus,” according to the town.

In practice, that appears to involve work in office settings as well as out in the community, with a job posting now available on the Hudson town website indicating applicants must be comfortable visiting doctors’ offices, hospitals and homes of patients.

“This position may require direct client/patient contact,” the posting summarizes at one point.

Hudson Health Director Kelli Calo did not immediately respond to email and phone requests for further explanation of the job and the town’s plans for it.

Hudson to hire new health worker in COVID-19 fight
All data via local boards of health. | By Dakota Antelman

Regardless, the move is only possible, the town says, thanks to an aid package Gov. Charlie Baker approved back on March 17.

That package allocated $5 million in emergency funds to the individual health departments of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns. It’s unclear what other COVID-19 initiatives or projects, if any, Hudson has used that money for.

Roughly two weeks after that action at the state level, this also follows within days of much more local developments.

Last Monday, Selectmen and the Board of Health unanimously voted to declare a state of emergency for the town.

Then, this weekend, Hudson learned of six new local cases of COVID-19, coinciding with a regional surge likely triggered by new testing measures aimed at better revealing the true scope of the ongoing pandemic.

“All of the residents are at home recovering in isolation,” Hudson’s statement addressing the latter news read. “Family members are at home in quarantine. Those potentially exposed to the newly diagnosed resident have been traced and contacted.”

For the latest on Hudson’s COVID-19 response, visit https://www.communityadvocate.com/2020/03/20/tracking-covid19-in-hudson/

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