4/8/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

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On April 8th, Governor Baker gave a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update on Testing, Legislation to Further Protect Healthcare workers and providers, Grocery stores, Command Center's Nursing Home Program, and Mobile Testing.

Here is the summary.

Testing Updates

  • As of yesterday, a total of 81,344 individuals were tested.

  • Yesterday alone, there were 4,900 tests conducted.

Further Protections for Healthcare workers and Providers

  • Governor will be filing legislation to maximize protections for healthcare workers in healthcare facilities under the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness ('PREP") Act

What will the legislation do?

  • Using the "PREP" Act as a model, the legislation would provide legal liability protection for those providing healthcare or ancillary healthcare related services during the COVID-19 emergency. This protection would cover healthcare professionals; such as doctors, nurses, and EMTs, health facilities and other providers supporting COVID-19 related healthcare services.

Emergency Guidelines for Medical Providers by Department of Public Health

  • The Department of Public Health continues to issue guidelines as the situation evolves and increases the pressure on our healthcare system. The guidelines ensure that no individual will be denied emergency COVID-19 care.

Grocery Store Update

  • Yesterday, new orders were issued that require stores to limit store occupancy to 40% of its regular level.

  • Customers should continue to abide by social distancing protocols that exist within stores to keep workers safe.

  • In order to protect essential workers, please stay home unless you absolutely need to go out and practice social distancing at all times.

Command Center on Nursing Home Program and Mobile Testing

  • As of yesterday, the mobile testing program has provided on-site testing for 103 long term care facilities and providing more than 1600 tests.

    • Today, the mobile testing program is visiting 23 sites to conduct more than 300 tests.

  • Yesterday, there were more than 150 calls to the new nursing home family resource line.

    • The resource line is: 617-660-5399 and is operating 7 days a week.

  • The Department of Public Health is requiring private labs, hospitals, and other partners to improve testing data by requiring all demographic information beyond name and birthdate, by including race and ethnicity.

  • This information is essentially an identification of geographic "hotspots" and to demographically determine whether there is a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections.

  • Today’s daily report will include race and ethnicity, but here are a few things to remember: 

    • The data will be current as of April 5th and is subject to change.

    • The information on race and ethnicity is reported by laboratories, healthcare providers, and local boards of health and so may or may not reflect self-reporting by individuals.

    • If no information is provided by any reporter on a case’s race or ethnicity, it is classified as “missing”.