7/22/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

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On July 22nd, Governor Baker gave a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update on Testing, Hospitalizations, Stop the Spread Program, Lynn Corps Salvation Army, Food Security Task Force, and the Food Security Grant Recipient Announcement.

Here is the summary.

Testing

  • Yesterday, there were 143 new positive cases reported. 

    • The seven day average for positive case rates is about 1.7%. This is a 95% decrease from the middle of April. 

  • Please continue to wear face coverings, practice good handwashing/hygiene, disinfect surfaces, and social distance. 

Hospitalizations

  • As of yesterday, there are currently just over 513 individuals hospitalized as a result of COVID-19, and 63 of those individuals are in the ICU. 

  • Please do not hesitate to contact your health care provider about any concerns you may have, COVID-19 related or not. Telehealth is currently a covered benefit in MA that will be extended to cover all residents until at least the end of the calendar year.

Stop the Spread Program

  • The Stop the Spread Program started on July 10th and has brought free testing to communities that have had high positive test rates in the past and lower numbers of tests.

    • This program is in 8 communities and Lynn is one of them. The two sites in Lynn will be open through the middle of August.

Lynn Corps Salvation Army

  • Governor Baker gave his press conference today at the Lynn Corp Salvation Army location, which has distributed 1.8 million meals statewide since March. 

    • Thank you to all the workers and volunteers who have worked so hard to feed families and individuals in need during this pandemic.

Food Security Task Force

  • Earlier this spring, the Administration convened the Food Security Task Force to evaluate how MA could best support food security efforts that were already underway. 

    • One of the findings that the Task Force discovered was the critical need to develop a system to connect processing, storage, and distribution of resources to ensure an ongoing supply of food.

      • In response, the Administration developed an online platform as an additional tool. The MA Department of Agriculture Resources in collaboration with the Division of Marine Fisheries is in the final stage of developing an online platform called the Mass Grown Exchange.

  • In May, the Administration announced $56 million in investments to implement the recommendations of the Food Security Task Force. 

    • One of those investments was a new $36 million Food Security Infrastructure Grant program to provide access to fresh and local foods.

      • This grant program is open to organizations that are a part of the MA local food system, including school meal programming, urban farms, and many others. The applications opened in June and will be evaluated on a rolling basis through September 15th, 2020.

Food Security Grant Recipient Announcement

  • The first round of the Grant program’s recipients has been selected. In the first round, the Administration is awarding nearly $3 million to 26 organizations. The recipients include farms, school meal programs, food pantries, and organizations that are focused on food sourcing and distribution.

    • These funds are a part of the broader $56 million investment that implemented the recommendations of the Food Security Task Force. Other investments include $5 million for the Healthy Incentives Program, $3 million in funding for immediate relief for food banks, and $12 million for the provision of 25,000 family food boxes per week through regional food supply systems, which will continue throughout the summer.