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Revere Board of Health notes critical drought conditions in region, urges water conservation; reviews recent measles advisories
Summary
The board heard a communicable disease and public health update noting Revere sits in a region designated critical drought and summarizing state and national measles advisories urging vaccination and caution for travelers.
At the March 20 meeting, Revere’s director of public health reported that Revere, as part of the Northeast region, is in a level 3 critical drought and reviewed a Department of Public Health advisory about rising measles activity nationally.
Lauren Buck, Director of Public Health, told the board that a March 10 press release from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs shows most of Massachusetts is in critical or significant drought, with an 8- to 13-inch precipitation deficit since last August. She said private well users and smaller local water supplies drawing from the same river basins are impacted even though the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) supply serving Revere is not experiencing drought conditions.
“The drought management task force recommends fixing any toilet or faucet leaks immediately, using dishwashers rather than hand-washing dishes, aggressively reducing indoor water use, and stopping all nonessential water use,” Buck said. She also reminded residents to be cautious with outdoor fires, grills and flammable materials during drought conditions.
Buck also summarized a March 11 clinical advisory from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and federal updates about measles spread in the United States. She said as of Dec. 31, 2024 there were 285 measles cases reported for 2024 across 33 jurisdictions and that cases have continued to increase in 2025, with over 220 cases reported by March 6 across 12 jurisdictions. Buck said most cases were among young people and that about 90 percent of reported cases were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status; she noted hospitalizations occurred for isolation or management of complications in about 40 percent of cases in 2024.
Buck emphasized vaccination as the primary protection, citing CDC guidance that two doses of MMR provide strong protection against measles and that protection is long-lasting. She noted local susceptibility concerns tied to travel and the ongoing outbreak in West Texas among unvaccinated children.
No action was taken; the board accepted the report.
