April 23 Coronavirus Update

I want to begin by wishing “Eid Mubarak” to those beginning the holiday of Ramadan this evening. In these trying times, it is important to honor the community and family bonds that bring us all together, even if we have to celebrate separately or in unconventional ways.

Today, the Governor released a public service announcement urging Massachusetts residents who require urgent or emergency care for all conditions, not just COVID-19, to seek medical attention if they need it. Massachusetts has seen a significant decrease in hospital admissions for non-coronavirus conditions, including serious ones like stroke, diabetes care, and cardiac events. Our health care providers have gone above and beyond to ensure that safe emergency care remains available to all who need it during the pandemic, and I urge all of you to prioritize your health, no matter what form that may take.

Coronavirus Testing and Response

• There are 42,944 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 3,079 new cases and 2,360 deaths as of today at 4pm. 
• Important note: Today’s new case numbers are significantly higher than other numbers reported this week, but testing numbers also jumped dramatically as over 14,000 tests were conducted yesterday. The positive test rate was 21%, the lowest of any daily rate this week.
• The Department of Public Health has updated its daily reporting dashboard to include more detailed information on hospitalizations, demographic data, and county-by-county breakdowns. To view the new dashboard, check here. 

Local Case Update

• As of April 22, here are the following case counts by town in the 8th Middlesex District:
  • Holliston: 21  (24 based on Chief Cassidy’s April 23^rd update)
  • Hopkinton: 65
  • Southborough: 21
  • Westborough: 133
• Full city/town counts can be found here. As of this week, around 0.6% of individuals are infected in Massachusetts statewide.

Health Care

• Personal protective equipment: PPE continues to be distributed across the Commonwealth. In the MetroWest region, roughly 804,000 pieces of PPE have been distributed, including 180,000 N95 masks and 136 ventilators. A detailed distribution chart updated through today can be found here.
• Hospital Bed Capacity: Massachusetts’s hospital bed capacity for the surge currently sits at 18,300 ICU and non-ICU beds. As of  April 23, 57% of beds are available statewide, including 44% of beds in the MetroWest region.
• Mobile testing at long-term care facilities: The state’s National Guard mobile testing initiative continues, with the Department of Public Health reporting that 341 facility visits have resulted in 11,796 tests through yesterday.
• Contract tracing continues to be a central feature of the Commonwealth’s long-term plans to combat the spread of COVID-19. For more information on statewide contact tracing efforts or to apply to work as a contact tracer, please visit the mass.gov contact tracing page.

Housing, Unemployment, and Worker Assistance

• The administration has requested $1.2 billion in federal unemployment funding in advance to cover costs that will be incurred operating the unemployment insurance system in May and June. The scope and timeline of the pandemic’s impacts on the labor market are still taking shape, and I will provide more detail on state and federal actions as it becomes available.
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance online applications are open for self-employed, 1099, or gig economy workers who are not normally eligible for unemployment benefits at https://mass.gov/pua.
• The regular unemployment benefits system continues to operate 7 days a week, supported by an 850-person call center and near-daily virtual town halls which have been attended by over 175,000 individuals. For more information on the UI system, including recent changes created by the CARES Act, visit this page.

Legislative Updates

• Today, the House passed legislation requiring detailed public reporting of COVID-19 data by law and creating a task force to assess any demographic disparities in impacts of COVID-19 on Massachusetts residents. This bill now travels to the Senate for consideration.
• The House also passed legislation allowing for remote notarization services to be provided using video conferencing technology. The Senate passed a similar version of the legislation and once language is finalized, it will be sent to the Governor for his signature.
• The Senate passed two bills related to public assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. S.2647 would raise asset limits for non-unemployment insurance programs, and H.4648 increases dependent-related benefits for unemployment assistance.

Food Resources

• Massachusetts received final federal approval to begin operating the “Pandemic-EBT” program to provide support to students and families who normally receive free or reduced lunch at school. The program will provide benefits of $5.70 per student per day of school closure, and families are automatically enrolled. Learn more about the program and eligibility here.
• Yesterday, the administration announced the launch of a COVID-19 Food Security Task Force to bring together state agencies, community providers, and other stakeholders to ensure that Massachusetts’s residents’ food resource needs are being met, particularly in this time of economic uncertainty. The Task Force will be making recommendations by the end of the month.

Additional Items

• Mass Humanities announced that the state will be awarding up to $75 million in grants for libraries, museums, and other nonprofits providing humanities education to Massachusetts residents that have been impacted by COVID-19. Applications are not open until May 4 but the announcement, including detailed guidelines on eligible organizations, can be found online here.

Resources for Residents Experiencing Job Loss or Loss of Income

COVID-19 is causing broad disruption to the economy which is affecting incomes of many residents and families. There are a number of state resources and supports available to support workers who may find themselves unemployed or otherwise income-constrained during this uncertain time. 

For your convenience, you can find a guide of resources and information at: https://carolyndykema.com/covid19-state-resources/.