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COVID-19 Updates + Virtual Budget Hearing TODAY at 10AM 4/14/20

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this finds you well, staying healthy and at home.

The Governor reminded us on Friday that between 20-40% of infected people have no symptoms and could easily transmit the virus to someone more vulnerable. “We are about to enter what will probably be the most difficult period we are going to face in dealing with this particular virus at this particular time, ” he said. That’s why our collective priority remains to prevent the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus and why everyone in our communities must continue to stay 6 feet apart from one another and wear non-medical cloth masks.

As more testing becomes available, the ask to the general public is to continue to assume you've been infected and act accordingly by remaining physically distant from others. That way, our front line workers can access the testing first to prevent the virus from spreading unnecessarily.

If you need a mask, you can make one at home without sewing!

To our front line workers in our health care institutions, in our grocery stores and everyone in between, all we can continue to say is, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Finally, if you celebrated on Sunday, Happy Easter, and if you haven’t yet, especially now during these next two weeks, rediscover the strength of friends and family and reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while -- even if it's only been a couple days.

Warmly,

Liz Malia

MA State Representative, 11th Suffolk

liz.malia@mahouse.gov

To read the Commonwealth’s Command Center daily updates and my previous updates: www.replizmalia.org

To subscribe to these updates: https://www.replizmalia.org/newsletter-sign-up

Take Action

Helpful Legal Resources

https://www.masslegalhelp.org/

https://www.masslegalservices.org/covid-19

State Updates

4/7 - The Administration and CVS announced the launch of a new rapid testing site in Lowell, which will enable on-the-spot COVID-19 testing and results at no cost. The new CVS site in Lowell will use the new Abbott ID NOW™ COVID-19 test. With the launch of this site, MA is the 3rd state where CVS has launched rapid testing sites, joining Georgia and Rhode Island.

4/8 - COVID-19 text alerts are now available in Spanish. Text “COVIDMAESP” to 888-777 to receive them.

4/8 - DPH released further guidance to promote social distancing at grocery stores. The new guidance requires that each grocery store limit occupancy to 40% of its maximum permitted occupancy level (except stores with a maximum occupancy of less than 25 people). It also sets out procedures by which staff should monitor occupancy levels.

4/8 - COVID-19 testing for MA public safety personnel will be available at a second location beginning April 9 doubling the number of free, drive-through tests available for first responders and other emergency management workers. A mobile testing site at the Big E fairgrounds in West Springfield began operations April 9 and will supplement a site at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

4/8 - The Administration released Crisis Standards of Care guidelines for the Commonwealth’s health care facilities. Upon the request of leaders in the health care system, DPH convened a Crisis Standards of Care Advisory Committee that included medical experts and ethicists from across the Commonwealth, representing both large academic medical centers and community hospitals. Their recommendations helped inform ethical, equitable and transparent guidelines for providing acute care during a crisis.

4/9 - Governor Baker signed an executive order that will require the Board of Medicine to allow graduates of International Medical Schools with at least two years of postgraduate medical training in an accredited U.S. or Canadian program to apply for a license and will expedite the approval process for them.

4/9 - Nursing students and graduate students who are in the final semester of their program will be allowed to practice nursing in advance of receiving their license so long as they are directly supervised by a licensed medical professional.

4/9 - An executive order was signed that will require insurers to cover all of the medically required costs of COVID treatment in out of network hospitals and medical facilities without charge to the patient, including co-pays, deductibles, or co-insurance payments.

4/9 - The state launched a website with job opportunities for health and human services professionals at temporary care sites that will be updated frequently with new opportunities.

4/10 - In accordance with new CDC guidelines, the Governor announced DPH will officially recommend the use of face masks or face coverings when individuals travel outside of the home and cannot safely socially distance particularly when they go to the grocery store or pharmacy.

4/10 - The Administration and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security expanded access to the free, priority COVID-19 testing sites for first responders to now include grocery store and supermarket workers. Beginning Saturday, April 11, the men and women who provide critical access to food and other necessities may schedule an appointment to receive COVID-19 testing at the sites located at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro and the Big E fairgrounds in West Springfield. All appointments must be made in advance by the worker’s supervisor or manager, and personnel do not need to be symptomatic to be eligible.

4/10 - The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced it would ban over the holiday weekend vehicles and allow pedestrians and bicyclists on William J. Day Boulevard between Farragut Road and Shore Drive in South Boston, Francis Park Drive between Perkins Street and the Arborway in Jamaica Plain, and Greenough Boulevard between Arsenal Street and North Beacon Street in Watertown. DCR will re-evaluate the policy after the weekend to see if it is viable long-term, but officials hope that allowing bicyclists and pedestrians to spread out into the roads will prevent sidewalk crowding that violates social-distancing guidelines. The department also said it would start cutting down parking at state parks on Saturday to prevent crowds from forming.

4/11 - After much legislative advocacy and a swift response from the Administration, the unemployment insurance application is now available in Spanish and is adapted for use on mobile devices. The application will be available in Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese and other languages in the coming days.

4/13 - The Administration announced the launch of the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team which will support manufacturers making changes to their production to produce personal protective equipment and other devices that are critical in responding to COVID-19. There is $10.6 million in funding to help manufacturers make these changes. Companies can learn more and apply for funding here: