4/13/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

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On April 13th, Governor Baker gave a press conference to provide COVID-19 updates on the Weather advisory, Mobile-testing, PPE Distribution, the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT), and Command Center.

Here is the summary.

Weather Advisory

  • The storm is hitting MA today and is expected to go until 8pm.

    • Potential for damaging winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms to many parts of the Commonwealth.

  • In order to prepare for the storm, the Department of Public Health is working with the state’s utility companies to have necessary personnel conduct power restorations when safe, while keeping with COVID-19 protocols.

  • If you have questions, please go to mass.gov/mema 

Mobile-testing

  • Since the mobile-testing initiative was launched on March 31st, more than 3700 on-site tests have been collected at more than 220 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes for people with disabilities, and vulnerable populations.

  • The trained clinical staff in said facilities can now conduct their own testing by ordering test kits through the state’s mobile-testing program. 

PPE Distribution

  • Yesterday, the command center posted a personal protective equipment summary. The supplies have been sent to hospitals, health centers, local public safety, boards of health, and healthcare facilities across the Commonwealth. 

    • 360,000 aircraft masks

    • Over 700,000 masks

    • 160,000 gowns

    • Almost 2 million gloves

    • An additional 200 ventilators from FEMA that are now being examined

The Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT)

  • M-ERT was launched on April 2nd and is a program to support the Commonwealth’s manufacturers in their efforts to produce much-needed supplies for front-line workers and the healthcare system. 

  • M-ERT is started with $10.6 million in new funding to help manufacturers pivot their operations to produce PPE and other crucial supplies. 

  • Companies can apply for grants for equipment, materials, supplies, workforce training, and more here: https://masstech.org/manufacturing-emergency-response-team-funding-program

  • M-ERT will bring manufacturers an understanding of: 

    • Which PPE and COVID-19 related materials are of highest priority to produce

    • Regulatory compliance and insight into FDA guidance

    • Testing that is necessary and identifying in-state test centers

    • Retraining workers on new production lines and standards

    • Sharing design and CAD files for critical items

Command Center

  • Please remember that The Crisis Standards of Care guidelines are voluntary and put into place in order to mitigate against unconscious bias in making critical medical decisions during a crisis where there are scant medical resources. 

    • The guidelines explicitly call out the factors that have no bearing include, but not limited to: race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, ability to pay, socioeconomic status, perceived social worth, perceived quality of life, immigration status, incarceration status, homelessness, or passed or future use of resources. 

Boston Field Medical Station at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center ‘Boston Hope’

  • As of last night, the overall patient total was 36.

DCU Umass Memorial

  • As of last night, the overall patient total was 10.