Baker-Polito Administration Launches
COVID-19 Response Command Center
New Cross-Agency Structure To Focus On
Responding To Disease, Supporting Communities & Residents
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today
announced the creation of a new COVID-19 Response Command Center. Governor
Charlie Baker has asked Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders to
lead this cross-secretariat response to the outbreak of COVID-19 to compliment
the work that has been underway for weeks across state government to keep
residents safe and healthy.
The Command Center,
under the leadership of Secretary Sudders and reporting to Governor Baker and
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, will be the Commonwealth’s single point of strategic
decision making and coordination for the Administration’s comprehensive
COVID-19 response.
“Our administration
has been working for weeks to address the outbreak of COVID-19, and the new
Response Command Center we are launching today is an important step in our
planning and preparedness efforts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Led by
Secretary Marylou Sudders, this team of experts will focus solely on pushing
back against this disease and moving quickly to respond to the needs of our
communities and residents.”
“State government
has been committed to supporting communities and residents as the Commonwealth
works together to respond to the Coronavirus, and this new Command Structure
will help us further advance that mission,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.
“This dedicated team will serve as a single point of decision-making for our
ongoing response as we continue to collaborate with partners to address this
rapidly changing situation.”
The Command Center
will have complete authority and discretion to tap whatever state funds are
necessary. This includes the $15 million recently appropriated by the
Legislature for Coronavirus.
The Command
Structure will enable expert teams to advance key initiatives including:
- Working
to expand lab capacity for testing
- Planning quarantine operations
- Coordinating communication and guidance across government
- Responding to the needs of our local boards of health
- Monitoring supply chains
- Identifying surge capacity in
the Commonwealth’s health network.
“By convening
decision-makers from key facets of state government, state government is able
to continue to ramp up our dedicated response to COVID-19,” said Secretary
Marylou Sudders. “This structure will build on the dedicated and continuing
public health response.”
The Command Center
will hold daily briefings with the Governor, key secretariats and agencies and
will communicate regularly with other stakeholders such as municipalities and
local boards of public health. The Command Center will work closely with
and support the Department of Public Health’s ongoing response in conjunction
with federal and local partners, and will include decision -makers from across
state government:
- Executive
Office of Health and Human Services
- Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
- MBTA
- Executive Office of Education
- Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
- Executive Office of Technology and Security Services
- Human Resources Division
The Command Center
will also facilitate coordination and communication with key stakeholder groups
like the CDC, FDA, cities and towns, the Legislature, local boards of public
health, and others.
Today’s
announcement follows the Administration’s announcements yesterday that Governor
Baker issued an emergency order prohibiting the gathering of over 250
people and that 211 has been activated to provide real-time
COVID-19 information, resources, and referrals in multiple languages.
The Administration
will continue to update the public on further developments and individuals are
encouraged to consult both the Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention websites for the most up to date information.
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