Baker says virus surge ‘behind us’
The surge “is behind us,” Gov. Charlie Baker declared Tuesday as he announced temporary hospitals set up around the state are shutting down.
“We’ve talked a lot about preparing for and dealing with the surge, which is now something that — thanks to a lot of work by a lot of people — is behind us,” Baker said during a coronavirus briefing at the State House on Tuesday.
“As a result of that,” he added, “many of the field hospitals that we set up around the state to add beds and reduce strain on hospitals have begun to close.”
Boston Hope, a 1,000 bed surge hospital site set up inside the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the Seaport is not taking any new patients, but the governor said it would be available for use throughout the summer.
Other field hospitals at Joint Base Cape Cod in Buzzard’s Bay and Worcester’s DCU Center have already closed.
It’s difficult, yet unsurprising, news for the Massachusetts Convention Authority, which has seen its “prime-time” events calendar zeroed out by the coronavirus crisis, spokesman Nate Little said.
Large gatherings and events like the ones hosted at the 516,000-square-foot BCEC venue won’t be allowed to resume until September at the earliest — that’s the tentative timeline for the final step of the governor’s fourphase reopening plan.
“That’s the date we’re all aiming for,” Little told the Herald on Tuesday. Dozens of conventions have been canceled or postponed as social distancing and stay-at-home advisories intended to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic have been enacted. As of now, September dates are still on the calendar, but Little said that could change as phase 4 is contingent on the initial three phases going well.
“A re-evaluation will happen closer to the summer ending,” Little said.
In the Tuesday briefing Baker also laid out a $56 million program to help families suffering from food insecurity as a result of the health crisis the state first announced last week.
“Increasing food security is essential to protecting the health of the people of Massachusetts,” Baker said.
The package includes $36 million for a COVID19 Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program that has the goal of “ensuring that individuals and families have access to food” — especially those receiving welfare benefits. It includes increasing capacity for direct food deliveries, food banks and distribution partners and leaning on urban farming initiatives and local fisheries to provide greater access to food.
An additional $12 million will go to family food boxes that contain 30 to 35 meals for distribution at food pantries.