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Mass. in midst of COVID case surge

Governor, mayor taking steps to safeguard public health, economy

Kenneal Patterson
Mass. in midst of COVID case surge
Mayor Martin Walsh addresses reporters during a press briefing. PHOTO: ISABEL LEON, MAYOR’S OFFICE

Massachusetts is in the midst of a COVID-19 surge that won’t likely peak until the end of the month, city and state officials said in separate briefings Monday.

Boston’s cases have more than doubled in the last week, said Mayor Martin Walsh, addressing reporters on April 13. As of Monday, there were 4,086 confirmed cases in Boston and 26,867 statewide. Boston’s death toll was 67 and rising.

Most joggers, walkers and golfers at Franklin Park Saturday wore face masks in keeping with Boston Public Health Commission recommendations. BANNER PHOTO

Most joggers, walkers and golfers at Franklin Park Saturday wore face masks in keeping with Boston Public Health Commission recommendations. BANNER PHOTO

“To every family who lost a loved one, our city is holding you in our hearts,” said Walsh, adding, “We will continue to work around the clock to prevent any future loss of life from this terrible virus.”   

Aside from public health concerns, the virus has crippled the economy. Walsh announced several programs that provide financial relief for struggling residents.

The Renter Relief Fund helps struggling tenants that cannot access federal relief or unemployment benefits. On Monday, the Department of Neighborhood Development held a lottery for the 5,500 applicants who qualify for the first round of funding. This funding will be distributed by the end of the month, said Walsh.

The administration is also reviewing 3,000 applicants for the Small Business Relief Fund. Walsh noted that businesses will be able to put money toward rent, payroll and other COVID-19-related challenges. The first round of funding has closed for both programs, but Walsh said more relief is on its way.

“There’s other federal money coming down to the cities and states that we should be seeing on the streets really soon,” he said.

While President Trump hopes to reopen the economy on May 1, Walsh disagreed with that assessment.

“That’s not only unrealistic, that’s completely irresponsible,” he said. “We are still in the very beginning of this surge.”

His administration’s focus right now, said Walsh, is to ensure the existence of medical care to protect vulnerable populations.

Preparations are underway. Boston Hope medical center, a 1,000-bed recovery facility in the Seaport District, opened on Friday. There, 500 beds are reserved for homeless patients that require care. The new facility has already admitted a number of patients.

COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting communities of color, and Walsh noted the importance of examining these inequities. The recently established Health Inequity Task Force had its first meeting over the weekend, he said.

“Data is critical in this work,” said Walsh. “We need to know, and the community needs to know, what inequities are and what can be done about them. So we’ve been collecting and sharing race and ethnicity data in Boston.”

These communities need accessible testing and screening, said Walsh. He said that the Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury is offering scheduled, rapid-result testing starting Monday. The Health Center has been a champion in reducing health disparities, said Walsh.

City officials are extending stay-at-home orders as the virus claims more lives. Walsh reminded residents to adhere to health guidelines, and he dispelled myths surrounding immunity for young people. People under the age of 40 account for 40% of the state’s cases, he said, adding that contagious people may be asymptomatic.

The mayor acknowledged the difficulty of the crisis and urged patience.

“I know we’ve been feeling like we’ve been dealing with this crisis for about three years now, but it’s really only been about a month,” he said. “We’re all wondering when we’re going to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I want to assure you that day will come. But I need each and every one of you to help us get there.”

Difficult times lie ahead, noted Gov. Charlie Baker during a conference Monday. There will be an uptick in emergency response calls, he said, as well as more patients rushing to hospitals.

“This hasn’t been easy, but across the state people have stepped up, adapted to these trying times and are doing their part to stop the spread of the disease,” he said.

Baker has joined with governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island to form a joint regional task force that will determine when it’s safe for the states to reopen non-essential businesses.

The Broad Institute and Massachusetts National Guard launched a mobile testing program for nursing home residents on March 31. More than 3,700 onsite tests have been collected at more than 220 facilities, and facilities with trained clinical staff can order their own kits. Last week, the program was expanded to include certain assisted living residences.

Even so, there needs to be more testing, and faster, said Baker.

“We’re a top-10 tester on a per-capita basis,” he said, “but if you were to say to any of us up here, ‘Are we doing enough testing?’ we would say no.”

Testing has increased fourfold in Chelsea, however. Chelsea’s largely Latino community has experienced financial burdens and high caseloads throughout the pandemic. In addition, Baker said that thousands of new meals will be delivered per week, and hotels are opening their doors for people that need to self-isolate.

The Baker administration also established the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (MERT) on April 2 to produce personal protective equipment and replenish diminishing supplies. MERT assists small businesses with manufacturing PPE; for instance, the 3-D greeting card company Lovepop is now making face shields, surgical gowns and shoe coverings.

“As usual, we are blown away with the resiliency, imagination and creativity of many of our entrepreneurs and business owners,” said Baker.

April 15 marks the seventh anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing, and the date is now known as “One Boston Day.” Baker urged residents to practice kindness on Wednesday and protect the city’s most vulnerable.

“We’re asking you to join us in standing together while standing apart,” he said.