Massachusetts travelers face restrictions
Termination notices go out to three private nursing homes in state
Boston — Thousands of travelers to Massachusetts have begun filling out forms required by the state to help combat the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday.
On Saturday, the state began requiring visitors to comply with a new executive order mandating they quarantine for 14 days or face a $500-perday fine if they refuse to comply.
That includes residents returning home from out-ofstate trips.
Travelers who can produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours before their arrival in Massachusetts are exempt.
Those visiting from a lower-risk state as designated by the state Department of Public Health are exempted from filling out the form. Current lower-risk states include New England states, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii.
Baker said thousands of visitors have already completed the online form.
There are also exemptions for people simply passing through the state, people who commute across state lines for work, and for those traveling to Massachusetts for medical treatment or to comply with military orders.
Baker also said Tuesday that it’s critical for everyone to continue to be vigilant — including wearing masks and practicing social distancing — to guard against a resurgence of the virus in Massachusetts.
If cases begin to rise significantly, Baker said he could be forced to take actions like restricting the size of gatherings or tightening business regulations.
“We’re not taking any options off the table when it comes to fighting COVID,” he said.
Nursing home warnings
The Massachusetts’ state Medicaid program has issued termination notices to three private nursing homes in the state for allegedly failing to meet care expectations during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hermitage Healthcare in Worcester, Town and Country Health Care Center in Lowell and Wareham Healthcare received the notices Monday from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The notices are the first step in being eliminated from MassHealth, which could force the closure of the facilities.
Next Step Healthcare, the parent company of Hermitage Healthcare and Wareham Healthcare, said in a statement to The Boston Globe that the state Department of Public Health had found both facilities in compliance with infection control standards on three out of four recent visits.
The company said it would appeal both decisions.
A person who answered a phone call to Town and Country
on Monday told The Sun of Lowell that the facility would have no comment.
Hermitage Healthcare has had 12 deaths from COVID-19, Town and Country has had 10 deaths and Wareham Healthcare has had no reported deaths.
The state said the facilities demonstrated poor adherence to basic infection control practices, improper use of protective equipment, had inadequate staffing, and in certain cases, refused support offered by the state when dealing with outbreaks and staffing shortages.
Free testing site
Framingham is the latest Massachusetts community to get a free coronavirus testing site as part of the state’s Stop the Spread program.
The free testing sites are set up in communities that are above the state average in total cases, positive test rate, and while at the same time have fewer people getting tested.
Seventeen such sites have now been set up.