5/18/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates
/On May 18th, Governor Baker gave a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update on The 4 Phase Reopening Plan, the Stay-At-Home Advisory, The Reopening Advisory Board, Child Based Services, the MBTA, and the Healthcare System.
Here is the summary.
The 4 Phase Reopening Plan
Today the Governor announced the 4 phased plan to reopen the economy. The plan was developed with input from local government leaders, non-profits, labor leaders, and small and large employers, along with information from healthcare leaders.
In each of these phases, businesses will be provided a compliance checklist to self-certify, posters for the public and employees on the health guidelines, and these guidelines will be enforced by local boards of health, Department of Public Health, and Department of Labor Standards.
Starting May 18th, designated essential services, construction, manufacturing, and houses of worship will open.
Starting May 25th, retailers are open for curbside pickup, hair salons and pet groomers are by appointment with social distancing measures. Car washes, laboratories, and office spaces are open at 25% capacity with social distancing measures. Outdoor spaces, such as beaches, parks, and other outdoor public spaces will be open with social distancing requirements.
Starting on June 1st, healthcare facilities will begin resuming normal business; however, hospitals and community health centers are required to maintain COVID-19 readiness at all times.
Boston will adopt these provisions on June 1st.
To see more about sector-specific information for businesses able to reopen during phase 1, please visit: mass.gov/reopening
Businesses are asked to have employees come in on staggered schedules and to continue working from home whenever possible.
The movement to phase 2 opening in three weeks is contingent on COVID-19 public health data as testing continues to be expanded.
Please remember that all gatherings in phase 1 must be under 10 people.
Please read the full report here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/reopening-massachusetts/download
At all phases of the opening, people need to:
1.) Wear face covering, cover the nose and mouth, when you cannot social distance.
2.) Wash hands and surfaces often.
3.) Stay at least 6 feet apart from others as much as possible.
4.) Stay vigilant for symptoms and stay home if you feel sick.
Should phase 1 be successful and COVID-19 infections continue to decline, the following phases could be implemented in three-week minimum increments.
Phase 2: Campgrounds, playgrounds, community pools, athletic fields, and youth sports will resume operations with guidelines
Phase 3: Arts and entertainment, gyms, and other business activities.
Phase 4: Full resumption of activities. New normal.
Information on the progress on the phases will be publicly available. There will be a public-facing dashboard released per week with 6 indicators to note the state’s progress. They will use stoplight colors: green, yellow, and red to note trending positive, in progress, or trending negative.
Indicators are positive test rate, fatalities, hospitalization number, healthcare system readiness, testing capacity, and contact tracing capabilities.
This can be found on the Reopening document. There are currently two indicators that are green: positive testing rate and testing capacity.
Update on Stay-At-Home Advisory
Under the new “safer-at-home advisory”, people should stay at home unless headed to one of the newly opened facilities or activities.
It is still advised for those over the age of 65 or those who have underlying health conditions to stay home except for necessary trips to the grocery store or for healthcare.
Update on Reopening Advisory Board
The Board has created new Restaurant Accommodations and a Tourism Working Group that consist of industry representatives, municipal leaders, and will have conversations with them to determine industry-specific protocols for meeting safety standards and to shape guidance to allow industries to reopen when the public data permits it.
Child based Services Updates
In Phase 1, the emergency childcare system is already in place with capacity for 10K children statewide. This will be utilized to meet the needs of people with no alternative option for childcare.
It is encouraged for families to continue to find any alternatives to group care to help stem the spread of the virus.
Currently, only 35% of emergency childcare capacity is occupied and the system has the capacity to serve more families.
Early Education and Care and the Department of Public Health will develop additional health and safety standards to be reviewed by the Children’s Hospital to make sure that the state is ready to fully reopen childcare and camps when they are ready.
The Department of Public Health is partnering with local boards of health to develop guidelines to be implemented in over 1,400 camps across the state to enable safe reopening.
With the appropriate public health data, it is possible that camps could reopen in phase 2 with limitations and specific safety standards in line with CDC guidance. This will be available in about two weeks.
MBTA Updates
Riders are required to wear face coverings and must make an effort to distance themselves from others.
Employers are encouraged to stagger schedules and implement work from home policies to reduce the demand during rush hours.
1.) In Phase 1, they will support the transit needs of essential workers and those returning to their workplace while using limited service.
2.) Ramp up to full service by Phase 3.
3.) Frequently disinfect vehicles and stations as well as provide protective supplies to their workers.
4.) Actively communicate public health guidance and schedule adjustments in stations, online, and over social media.
Healthcare System Updates
As part of the Reopening plan and effective today, the state is allowing high priority preventive services, including pediatric care, immunizations, chronic disease, and urgent procedures, that would lead to high risk or significant worsening of the patient’s condition if deferred in providers clinical judgment.
In MA, the acute care system has 30% availability for ICU and medical-surgical inpatient care.
Acute care hospitals and hospital licensed Community Health Centers who attest to meeting certain capacity and safety standards may expand services.
This expansion is done intentionally to meet the needs of high-risk communities.
On May 25th, providers who can attest to meeting capacity and safety standards will be able to provide a limited set of diagnostic and treatment procedures.
Please continue to utilize MA’s telehealth program.
Details can be found at mass.gov/covid19