COVID-19: May 8, 2020 Update From Representative Dykema

May 8 Coronavirus Update

In the coming weeks, we will be speaking more about what a reopening plan will look like for Massachusetts. Recent numbers are improving with hospitalizations down by 10% in the last week, and only 14.4% of tests coming back positive. But we’re aware that these numbers could change quickly if we don’t proceed carefully.

The Reopening Advisory Board established by the Governor has met remotely with 39 groups of stakeholders, including industry groups, labor representatives, health care experts, retail, financial institutions, tourism groups, the Black and Latino advisory commissions, sports teams, faith-based institutions, regional chambers of commerce and many others to gather input. In addition, they are soliciting online input from the public.

The reopening plan is expected to contain 5 components:

  1. Staging based on key public health indicators, to ensure that reopening plans are driven by data on the actual health progression of the pandemic, not by arbitrary dates.
  2. Safety standards that apply universally to all workplaces.
  3. The sequencing for the reopening of various economic sectors.
  4. Workplace safety protocols for specific sectors and sub-sectors, envisioned as checklists so employers and the workforce can easily understand and apply re-opening protocols.
  5. Evaluation and guidance related to “enabling” sectors on which re-opening is dependent, including transportation and child care.

By May 18th at the latest, the Board is expected to be issuing its first round of recommendations. 

New Updates

Coronavirus Testing and Response

Source: Department of Public Health data
  • There are 75,333 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 1,612 new cases and 4,702 deaths as of today at 4pm. 
  • Overall, over 366,000 tests have been conducted by public and private sources. 11% of the 14,391 tests reported today were positive.
  • 3,349 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, a decrease of 87 from yesterday.
  • The Department of Public Health has regularly released a daily reporting dashboard containing detailed information on hospitalizations, demographic data, and county-by-county breakdowns of cases. To view the DPH dashboard, visit here.

Health Care

A Message From Hospitals:
Don’t Avoid Emergency Care Click this link to view the video

Hospital Capacity: As of 5/8, 53% of the Commonwealth’s 17,900 permanent and temporary hospital beds are available for new patients if needed. In the MetroWest region, 38% of the region’s 2,400 beds are available for new patients.

Personal Protective Equipment: PPE distribution continues across the Commonwealth, with over 1,484,000 pieces of PPE distributed in the MetroWest region, including over 300,000 N95/KN95 masks and 136 ventilators.

Mobile testing: The MA National Guard mobile testing unit continues to visit and conduct test at the Commonwealth’s long-term care facilities, having made 605 visits and conducted 34,926tests as of 5/8.

Massachusetts’s Contact Tracing Collaborative continues its efforts to contact individuals exposed to COVID-19. All individuals are encouraged to answer the call if they are contacted by the contact tracing team to help protect theirs and their neighbors health and safety. The phone calls should come from an 833 or 857 phone number and the caller ID should display “MA COVID Team.”

As a reminder, all individuals who continue to need acute or chronic care are strongly encouraged to contact their health care provider to ensure that they continue to receive timely, high-quality care. In particular, anyone experiencing a medical emergency is directed to visit the local emergency department or to call 9-1-1.

Local Update

  • All four towns have delayed their municipal elections until June, and all four towns provide information to participate in early voting by mail for all residents due to COVID-19 concerns. Rescheduled dates and town-specific information can be found below:

Economy and Workforce

  • The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development has developed a helpful flowchart for those who are experiencing job loss or income reduction due to COVID-19 and may be confused about what they are eligible for or where to start. The chart contains information on both standard benefits and new benefits specific to the state and federal pandemic response.
  • The administration has updated its essential businesses FAQ to reflect recent changes, including the expansion of allowed fulfillment services for flower shops and the reopening of golf courses. You can review the updated and categorized FAQ here.

Education

  • The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has announced guidelines for schools wishing to conduct AP testing in school buildings for students who do not have computer access. The full guidelines can be downloaded here
  • DESE has also announced the  opening of grant applications  for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. This grant, which provides federal relief under the CARES Act, provides districts with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had and continues to have on elementary and secondary schools. Districts may apply by Monday, June 15, 2020 for funds for FY20, or apply by Wednesday, July 1, 2020 for funds for FY21.
  • The Joint Committee on Education will be holding an oversight hearing on the impacts of COVID-19 on the K-12 education system on Wednesday, May 13 at 11 a.m. The hearing will be streamed online at this link.

Additional Items

  • MassLegalHelp.org provides a comprehensive list of legal services and updated information on your rights and protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit the MassLegalHelp COVID-19 page.

Local Resources

All of our towns now have centralized COVID-19 resource page with resources, updates, and alerts regarding town services.

HollistonHopkintonSouthboroughWestborough

The Department of Public Health also releases weekly reports on town-by-town COVID-19 case numbers and rates, which 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. 

Guide for job/income loss resourceshttps://carolyndykema.com/covid19-state-resources

Department of Unemployment Assistancehttps://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance

Department of Transitional Assistancehttps://www.mass.gov/dta-covid-19-resources-and-support

How You Can Help

Holliston Youth and Family Services requests your support of the Community Action Fund, which provides emergency assistance to those affected by COVID-19. Learn more or donate here.

The Westborough Rotary Club has launched a COVID-19 Community Relief Fund to provide assistance to those affected by COVID-19. Learn more or donate here.

The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations, the need for which is significant due to blood drive cancellations.  The need is dire due to the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives. People can donate at the Worcester American Red Cross Donor Center, 381 Plantation St. Worcester or call 1-800-RED CROSS. Some local donor sites, including the Natick Senior Center, are available for appointments as well.

Information on our local food pantries can be found below. The most pressing need right now is cash donations to ensure that food drop-off and delivery do not inadvertently contribute to the spread of the virus.

Holliston Pantry Shelf | Project Just Because | Southborough Food Pantry | Westborough Food Pantry

Current Statewide Advisories

Stay at Home: Due to evolving spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, Governor Baker has directed the Department of Public Health to issue a stay at home advisoryResidents are advised to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities until May 18th. Residents over 70 years of age or with underlying health conditions, who are considered at high risk when exposed to COVID-19, should limit social interactions with other people unless absolutely necessary. 

Face Covering: To maintain behaviors that limit the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare for the precautions necessary once the state begins to reopen, Governor Baker has issued an advisory requiring masks or cloth face coverings in public indoor and outdoor spaces in situations where social distancing is not possible. The full advisory and detailed guidance can be found online.

A list of all executive orders in place during the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 state of emergency can be found here.

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