5/1/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

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On May 1st, Governor Baker gave a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update on Testing, Hospital Capacity, the New Face Covering Order, and the Expansion of Testing at Community Hospitals.

Here is the summary.

Testing

  • Yesterday, 10,029 tests were conducted and this brings the total number of tests to 275,000 statewide. 

  • There are 1,914 new positive COVID-19 cases with a 19% positive test rate, which is consistent with the last few days.

Hospital Capacity

  • Yesterday, 3,803 patients, about 6% of all cases, were hospitalized. 

New Face Covering Order

  • The Governor has ordered all residents, over the age of two, to use a face covering or mask in public places where maintaining proper social distancing measures are not possible. 

    • This statewide order goes into effect on May 6th and will supersede previously issued guidance relative to mask use. Please find the previously issued guidance here.

  • This new order applies to all workers and customers of businesses and other organizations that are ‘Essential Businesses’. Residents are also required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when using any means of transportation service or public mass transit. 

  • A face covering is anything that can cover your nose and mouth. Please remember that health care masks should be preserved for health care workers and first responders. Please also remember that cloth masks should not be worn by children under the age of two, people with difficulty breathing, those who are unconscious, or who cannot remove the mask without assistance. 

    • Please find instructions on how to make a cloth mask from the CDC here.

Expansion of Testing at Community Hospitals

  • On April 22nd, MA established a partnership with Quest Diagnostics and the Mass League of Community Health Centers. 

    • Since then, MA has made further expansions in COVID-19 testing at additional centers throughout the Commonwealth, which brings the total number of Community Health Centers to 18. 

    • New facilities that will begin or expand testing include Lynn Community Health Center, Holyoke Health Center, North Shore Community Health Center, South Boston Community Health Center, and the Community Health Center of Franklin County.