Sources: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DmCBWA8R79s&t=322s (for video)
Earlier this week, the Governor spoke at a press conference regarding a discussion between the Commonwealth and Army Corp of Engineers in expanding Massachusetts’s health care capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic, along with emergency child care.
The Governor and the Army Corp of Engineers had meet to work out ways the Army Corp of Engineers could assist Massachusetts in this time. Governor Baker claims he got a “sense” of the kind of work the Army Corp of Engineers could do to assist the Commonwealth, along with private sectors at the meeting.
Private sectors were at the meeting to assist Baker’s Administration in finding appropriate facilities to convert to expand Massachusett’s health care capacity as hospitals overflow.
He also claimed Mary Lou Sudders, the Secretary of Health & Human Services in the Commonwealth, was working with the health industry in the Commonwealth to “expand existing capacity within their forewalls and find alternative medical facilities.”
Baker has already “identified a number of sites” to work with the Army Corp of Engineers in renovating to meet the state’s needs.
The Governor also gave a “status update” as to testing kits for the coronavirus regarding “the Commonwealth’s testing capacity” and how the state could “increase testing for more residents.”
Baker touts a 85% rise in coronavirus testing in the state, almost double previously.
He further states a 65% increase in coronavirus testing capacity, mixed with the rise in tested residents.
The Governor reports the recent opening of “the first privately owned urgent care center in Massachusetts” this urgent care center will conduct drive-thru testing for the coronavirus.
The center is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, already screening patients during the press conference.
CVS will also be used to expand the state’s testing capacity, expanding the reach to as many Baystaters as possible.
The Governor urges Baystaters with symptoms of the virus to contact “their medical care provider” and stay at home.
Beginning Monday, “we will open, as many other states have, some selected sites to serve as emergency drop-in child care services for families with no other options to continue going to work” he said.
Baker says that “child care is meant to be for those who must report to work, outside of the obvious emergency responders and medical professionals, this will include critical service workers like grocery store employees.”
Governor Baker reports on the emergency health care centers, “As of Friday, we have over 300 sites to start operation on Monday.”
He notes that they should “only be used as a last resort” and expects more to come.
The Governor concludes the conference by giving Baystaters a pat on the back, saying “I want to thank the residents of the Commonwealth for their resiliency throughout this outbreak.”
Cosmical Politics 