3/31/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

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On March 31st, the Governor gave an update on COVID-19 covering the news at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, Federal Government social distancing extensions, State Government extensions, Updated Essential Business List, Public Health order on hotels and AirBnBs, New Field Medical Station, and Pilot Project for On-Site Testing in Nursing Homes.

Here is the summary.

Holyoke Soldiers Home

  • As of today, there are thirteen confirmed deaths at the facility with at least six attributed to COVID-19 in the Holyoke Soldiers Home.

  • Immediate steps that have been taken: 

    • Public experts conducting a thorough review of the health status of all the residents and the staff.

    • Implementing a clinical command team.

    • Testing all patients and staff at the facility. 

    • Deploying the National Guard as well as sources from the state’s protective equipment supply and medical professionals from other state facilities.

  • A family hotline at 413-552-4764 has been created, available Monday-Saturday, as a dedicated line for family members to check in on their family members and is staffed by social workers.

Federal Government Updates

  • This weekend, the Federal Government announced an extension to the White House CoronaVirus social distancing guidelines that would be in effect until April 30th, as they anticipate the peak surge of the virus to come nationally sometime in the next two weeks.

State Government Updates

  • Today, the state announced that all non-essential businesses will keep their physical workplaces and facilities closed to all workers, customers, and the public until May 4th. This will take effect tomorrow, April 1st at noon.

  • The 10 person limit on social gatherings order will also be extended until May 4th. 

  • Department of Public Health guidance to extend the stay at home advisory outlining self-isolation and social distancing protocols will be extended to be in effect through May 4th. 

  • For State Government workers, the state is issuing an extension of the guidance to the executive branch employees regarding working from home until May 4th. 

Updated List of Essential Businesses and Organizations

  • The state is issuing an updated list of businesses and organizations that provide essential services and workforce related to COVID-19 that will continue to operate during this time period. 

  • The updated list provides clarity on the supply chain that supports other essential services, adding healthcare providers like optometrists and chiropractors, expanding the types of workers providing disinfectant and sanitation services. 

  • The updated list will be posted later today at www. mass.gov/covid19

  • Employers with questions should review the COVID-19 Essential Services FAQs created by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development which will be updated to reflect the revised list of essential services. 

Public Health Order on Hotels and AirBnBs

  • The Department of Public Health will issue an order for hotels, motels, and short term rentals like Airbnb to be used for limited purposes only, which include direct efforts related to the fight against COVID-19. 

    • Examples of this include housing for front line health care workers, for MA residents who have been otherwise displaced from their homes, or to house workers who are a part of our essential business community. 

    • Hotels and short term rentals like Airbnb may no longer be booked for vacation or leisure purposes.

New Field Medical Station

  • This week we received approval from the Federal Government to deploy a 250-bed facility at the DCU Center in Worcester, which will be standing up starting tomorrow. 

  • This type of facility will be used to treat lower acuity patients who still need monitoring and is another important step in the state's efforts to expand existing health care capacity. 

  • Umass memorial will lead the day to day work once it is up with support from state and local partners. 

  • The Commonwealth has requested for three of these stations.

Pilot Project for On-Site Testing in Nursing Homes

  • Today, the state implemented a pilot project that allows for safe on-site sample collection/testing, by trained personnel from the MA National Guard, of symptomatic residents of nursing and rest homes.

  • The pilot is operated under the MA National Guard in partnership with the Department of Public Health and the Broad Institute of Cambridge. 

  • Testing has a quick turn-around of 24-48 hours. 

  • The state will have 7 mobile teams around the state in response to nursing homes. Prior to the launch, the only way for the residents of nursing and rest homes to be tested was to go to a hospital or to a physician's office. 

Please remember that the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in this battle against COVID-19. The steps above are necessary precautions in our preparation for the surge of COVID-19 and to mitigate the impact it will have on our healthcare system. Please stay home as much as possible, follow the essential business orders the state has put into place, practice good self-hygiene, and follow social distancing guidelines.