AG’S OFFICE ANNOUNCES NEW GRANT PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

AG’S OFFICE ANNOUNCES NEW GRANT PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

$500,000 Grant Program Will Provide Funds to be Distributed to Local Small Businesses; Partnership Will Provide Pro Bono Legal Support

BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey has announced two new initiatives to provide financial relief and legal assistance to small businesses impacted by closures and losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

            “This is an incredibly difficult time financially for people across the state – and our small businesses have been hit especially hard,” said AG Healey. “We hope that these resources will provide some much-needed relief and support to help keep their workforce employed. We will get through this crisis together.”

            The AG’s Small Business Relief Partnership Grant Program will provide funding to municipalities and regional planning agencies who are assisting small businesses in the communities they serve. Grant funds will be distributed by these organizations to help small business address fixed debt, payroll, accounts payable, lost sales, lost opportunities, and other working capital expenses incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. The AG’s Office also recently contributed $50,000 to the City of Boston’s Small Business Relief Fund, which provides financial support to small businesses in Boston.

            This grant was funded by settlement funds secured by the AG’s Office. Grant awards will be issued in varying amounts up to $500,000, and individual requests may not exceed $50,000. As a condition of receiving the grant, all funds must be distributed directly to small business, and no portion of these funds may be used to defray administrative or operational costs.  Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis until funds are depleted. For more information, please visit: www.mass.gov/ago/grants.

The AG’s Office also joined a coalition of law firms, nonprofits, and government agencies—led by Ropes & Gray, Lawyers for Civil Rights, and Lawyers Clearinghouse—to launch the COVID Relief Coalition to provide vulnerable businesses and mission-driven organizations with pro bono legal support. Coalition partners have created a new website that will support the Coalition’s mission by enabling small businesses and nonprofits to learn about and apply for emergency loans and other sources of relief. The website will connect eligible small businesses and nonprofits to free legal support by Coalition partners.

In addition to the AG’s Office, Coalition partners include the City of Boston, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Boston Bar Association, The Boston Foundation, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, Dechert, Fish & Richardson, Foley Hoag, Foley & Lardner, Goodwin, Goulston & Storrs, Mintz, Morgan Lewis and WilmerHale.

Visit the AG’s COVID-19 resource page for information about how the AG’s Office can provide support during this crisis. 

Baker-Polito Administration Files Legislation to Combat Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Commonwealth

Baker-Polito Administration Files Legislation to Combat Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Commonwealth

Proposal would authorize statewide approach to mitigate risk of diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile Virus

BOSTON — Governor Charlie Baker today filed legislation to help the Commonwealth more effectively combat diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, including arboviruses like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV), by authorizing a coordinated, proactive, statewide approach to mosquito control activities. The legislation, An Act to Mitigate Arbovirus in the Commonwealth, would empower the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board to engage in mosquito control activities across the Commonwealth, including in areas where there is no legislative authority to take action today, should the Department of Public Health (DPH) determine that an elevated risk of mosquito-borne diseases exists. 

“After experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of EEE last summer, it’s critical that we act proactively to mitigate the risk of EEE through a coordinated and data-driven approach,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This legislation puts the Commonwealth in a better position to prepare for and respond to the threat of mosquito-borne illnesses, and allows public health experts to work together to safeguard the health and well-being of residents in every city and town across the Commonwealth.”

“Addressing a public health risk like EEE will require smart, coordinated action across all regions of the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Public health officials and the State Mosquito Control Board will need the ability to respond quickly to another potential outbreak in the coming months, and this legislation empowers them to take necessary actions to mitigate the risk to the public.”

Many cities and towns have access to critical surveillance as part of their membership in a mosquito control district. However, many municipalities at risk do not belong to a district, which significantly limits the amount of data available on the presence of the disease on which to base risk assessments and mitigation activities. The legislation will allow for the kind of statewide coordinated efforts that are necessary to combat arboviruses like EEE and the mosquitoes that carry it, and help to ensure that proactive steps are taken, before diseases spread.

The State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board (SRB) is the oversight body for all mosquito control operations in the Commonwealth, including the mosquito control districts and projects, but currently has no authority to independently conduct mosquito control activities in non-member communities that are not part of a mosquito control district. This new legislation would allow the SRB to respond to the potential for arbovirus and work with DPH and the Governor’s office to ensure appropriate steps are taken based upon the data and scientific information available.

“Past experience with EEE indicates the disease emerges in three-year cycles, and the Commonwealth is preparing for a potential outbreak this summer after last year’s unprecedented spike in cases,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The public health risk presented by EEE calls for early planning, deliberate action and a statewide approach.” 

“My district was deeply impacted by last year’s EEE outbreak, and so I know all too well the need to proactively prepare for this coming season,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka. “I have stated from the outset that I believe we need a comprehensive, coordinated, and systematic approach to tackling EEE and we must ensure that approach covers all corners of the Commonwealth. Protecting the health and safety of all our residents is my top priority and I am thankful to the Administration for prioritizing this issue as well.” 

In Massachusetts, mosquitoes can transmit a variety of diseases to humans, including EEE and WNV. EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. 2019 saw an outbreak of the disease in the Commonwealth, with 12 human cases and four deaths. For those that contract EEE, mortality rates range up to 50 percent and, for those who survive, 80 percent have serious, permanent neurological damage. WNV can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis.  

“We have been actively planning for the upcoming EEE season since last Fall,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel. “Our goal is to increase EEE surveillance while also continuing to emphasize prevention of mosquito-borne illness.”

“With warmer weather, an additional public health risk that emerges is mosquito-borne diseases, including EEE,” said Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Dan Tsai. “While we are preparing with our state and local partners to combat this disease, it’s also important that Massachusetts residents remember that the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones is to practice personal protection.”

“Due to the risk EEE presents to residents across Massachusetts, a coordinated response to mosquito control will be critical to our ability to reduce the population of mosquitos that can transmit the EEE virus to humans,” said SRB Chair and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux. “As many cities and towns in the Commonwealth do not have mosquito control projects of their own, it is essential that public health officials have the authority to take action when and where EEE presents a threat to public health.”

Click here to read today’s legislation.

For information about Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and mosquito control, click here.  

Baker-Polito Administration Announces New Funding, Outlines Ongoing Steps To Support Long-Term Care Facilities

Baker-Polito Administration Announces New Funding, Outlines Ongoing Steps To Support Long-Term Care Facilities

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today outlined ongoing steps to support long-term care facilities, including $130 million in new funding, expanded testing, PPE distribution and more.

Long-Term Care Facility Support: The COVID-19 Response Command Center is working to detect, prevent and manage the outbreaks of COVID-19 throughout the state and is intensely focused on mitigating the spread of illness in senior living facilities. Statewide, there are 383 nursing homes, 255 assisted living residences, and 93 rest homes in Massachusetts. There are approximately 38,000 residents in nursing homes; 16,500 in assisted living residences; and 3,000 residents in rest homes. Recognizing that these facilities are highly vulnerable to outbreaks of COVID-19, the Administration in March implemented stringent visitation restrictions and screening guidelines for staff at long-term care facilities.

Today, the Administration outlined ongoing steps and new resources to support these facilities:

$130 Million In New Funding:

In early April, the Administration announced a 10% MassHealth rate increase (approximately $50 million) across the board for all nursing facilities.

Facilities that create dedicated COVID-19 wings and units and follow necessary safety protocols will be eligible for an additional 15% rate increase, or a net increase of 25% (approximately $50 million). These funds support additional staffing, infection control and supply costs throughout the state of emergency.

An estimated $30 million will support facilities that established dedicated skilled nursing facilities.

Expanded Mobile Testing:

The Commonwealth’s Mobile Testing program, a partnership between the Department of Public Health, the National Guard, and the Broad Institute has improved access to testing for nursing home, rest home, and assisted living facilities to test more people. On April 13th, the Administration updated testing guidance to encourage long-term care facilities to conduct widespread testing for residents, even if they have no symptoms, and staff. In addition to the mobile testing program, facilities can conduct their own on-site testing using kits supplied by the Broad Institute.

• As of April 14, more than 4,500 tests have been collected at 264 facilities.
• As of yesterday, 77 facilities had requested more than 8,600 test kits.

PPE Distribution:

Since the beginning of March, the Command Center has distributed nearly 1.3 million masks, almost 200,000 gowns and over 2 million gloves to long-term care facilities.

Rapid Response Clinical Team & Staff Resources

The Commonwealth has also mobilized rapid-response clinical teams to provide short-term support for facilities with a high volume of cases or with critical staffing needs. These teams are made up of EMS technicians, nurses, and other health care professionals.

To meet staffing needs, the Administration has

• Stood up a Long-Term Care Portal to match individuals that have registered through the portal with the staffing requests submitted by facilities;

• Announced a $1,000 signing bonus to all individuals that register through the LTC portal to work for a certain amount of time in a nursing home, and;

• Tapped into the volunteers who’ve signed up through the Health Professionals Volunteer portal

Crisis Management Support:

To provide crisis management support for long-term care facilities, the Administration has also contracted with a firm specializing in nursing home crisis management. They will be available to provide facilities with on-site management and operational support to assist with staffing, vendors, implementing infection control measures, etc. The firm will also support efforts to stand up dedicated COVID-19 facilities and wings/units within existing nursing facilities.

Dedicated COVID-19 Skilled Nursing Facility Capacity Update:

The Administration has pursued three parallel options for expanding COVID-19 dedicated nursing facility capacity:

• Approach 1: Converting existing occupied facilities to fully dedicated COVID-19 facilities. An example of this is the Beaumont Facility in Worcester.

• Approach 2: Converting empty facilities to stand up a new dedicated COVID-19 nursing facility. An example of this is the Pioneer Valley Recovery Center in East Longmeadow.

• Approach 3: Creating dedicated COVID-19 wings within a broader nursing facility.

To date, in addition to the Beaumont facility, the Commonwealth currently has 5 dedicated COVID-19 facilities opening within the next 7-10 days in Brewster, Falmouth, New Bedford, East Longmeadow and Great Barrington; and several others in the planning stages.

麻州新型冠狀病毒死者在波士頓馬拉松爆炸案紀念日這天破千

(Boston Orange 編譯) 3月20日時，麻州傳出第一宗新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)死訊，時隔不到一個月後的4月15日，也是波士頓馬拉松爆炸案7週年的日子，麻州的新型冠狀病毒死亡病例突破1千宗，在1日新增151人辭世下，死亡總人數已累計至1,108。

麻州的新型冠狀病毒確診人數也在遽增1,775人後，累計為29,918，即將突破3萬大關。以麻州全州總人口約690萬來看，儘管做過檢測的人數已達132,023，但在已知無症狀者更容易傳染人，而且今日檢測未感染，不能保證次日依然未感染的情況下，這一檢測人數的數據，對一般民眾的參考價值，遠不如告知可做檢測地點，檢測費用有用。

在掙扎數個月之後，麻州公共衛生廳終於開始報告全州351個行政區的各市鎮確診人數。

麻州首都，也是全州人口聚集最密地區的波士頓，想當然耳的確診人數最高，而且還把其他城市遠拋於後，截至4月14日，確診人數累計為4,609，而其他城市還沒有一個確診人數破2000的。

若以每10萬人有1人確診的比例來比較，疫情最嚴重地區，卻和人們的想像有頗大差距。確診人數僅712人的雀喜市(Chelsea)，確診比率最高，每10萬人有高達1890.37人確診，是波士頓(663.20)的3倍。

若以人口數和確診人數比率來排序，麻州疫情最嚴重地區，依序為雀喜市，Borckton，Randolph，Williamstown，Lawrence，Everett。

確診比率破千的城市，依序為人口約10萬的Brockton，有1202人確診，比率為1223.43，人口約35,000的Randolph，確診人數367，比率1072.50。人口僅7754的Williamstown有74人確診，比率為1004.24。

確診比率近千的城市，依序為人口約8萬的Lawrence有814人確診，比率為923.15。人口約4萬餘的Everett有444人確診，比率為914.78。

麻州健康及人民服務長Marylou Sudders表示，以後每星期三會公佈社區確診數據，不過人口低於5萬，確診人數少於5人社區的數據就不會公佈。

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)在15日的每日疫情匯報中報告了好消息，稱聯邦政府將發送100萬件個人防護用品給麻州。聯邦緊急管理局(FEMA)15日早上表示，會在未來幾天內把65萬個口罩，26萬件Tyvek袍服送到麻州。

查理貝克還表示，麻州人員正在檢查，數算新英格蘭愛國者隊專機送回麻州的個人防護用品。麻州緊急管理局會儘快把這些物品發送出去。他也再次感謝Kraft家族，並感嘆要取得足夠數量的個人防護用品不容易。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin J. Walsh)在他的4月15日疫情匯報中表示，設置來幫助最脆弱的波士頓居民的波士頓彈性基金(Boston Resiliency Fund)，又獲得170萬元資金。他稱讚波士頓人的慷慨。

由於4月15日是波士頓馬拉松爆炸案紀念日，15日下午2點，波士頓市府舉辦了一場跨宗教的祈禱會，並經由boston.gov，以及onebostonday.org網站廣播。這天下午2點49分，位於坡約斯頓街(Boylston)的舊南教堂也敲種紀念爆炸案中的犧牲者。

根據約翰霍普金斯大學的數據，全世界現在已有200萬人確診新型冠狀病毒，並有128,000人因此死亡。在美國，有609,000人確診，26,000多人死亡。

查理貝克上周曾表示，4月10日至20日估計會是新型冠狀病毒在麻州肆虐的高峰期，重症病人數量估計會從那天以後下降。不過專家們根據華盛頓大學的模型作的估計，卻不這麼認為。他們說道8月十，麻州可能會有8200人死亡，這和麻州以數據模型預估的4300人有頗大差距。

支援波士頓抗疫 台灣年輕人發起自製布口罩

             (Boston Orange周菊子波士頓報導) “哈囉，我們來自台灣!”，送上口罩時，他們這樣說。一群來自台灣年輕人發起，11個社團陸續響應組成的”波士頓台灣抗疫團隊”，這二個月來，已經把數千個自製布口罩，400多防護罩，送到大街小巷的45個醫療單位，警局，消防局，為保護第一線工作人員的安全盡一分心力，更讓大波士頓看見台灣。

              這是一群懷抱理想，要讓大波士頓看見台灣的年輕人。去年他們創辦”波士頓台灣影展”，今年籌備續辦第二屆，卻遇上新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)橫掃全球，整個世界幾乎停頓。他們商討之後，決定一邊推動影展的選片，聯繫導演等各項事務，並把預定辦展日期推遲到10月或11月，同時也服務本地社會，設法籌款，搜羅貨源地來為第一線人員添購他們迫切需要卻匱乏的個人防護用品。

              只是那時候台灣禁止出口口罩，他們不願意擾亂醫院原有貨源，又缺乏人力去檢測其他來源的口罩品質是否過關，鑒於台灣防疫經驗，有口罩比沒有好，他們既然買不到N95口罩，不如自製布口罩，於是一邊發起籌款，一邊和紐英崙客家鄉親會緊密合作，走上了自製布口罩之路。

              康麗雪，林致中，徐祐湉，藍凡耘他們先從自己身邊的人開始鼓吹，紐英倫客家鄉親會的會長宋玉琴知道後，也不遺餘力的從旁協助，不但從台灣找布商，連台灣的客家鄉親們都被她遊說的遙距支援，於是有布的捐布，會踩縫紉機的用機器，沒縫紉機的就用針線，也有人很有奉獻精神的自己買個縫紉機，從頭開始學習，然後有人負責送布，有人逐戶收取做好的布口罩，有人聯絡各醫療單位，探詢需求，有人專程把口罩送到社區醫院，診所，地方警察局，消防局。劍橋市，勒星頓鎮，哪兒有需要就往哪兒送，漸漸的甚至有診所主動向它們要口罩。

MGH醫務人員收到"波士頓台灣抗疫團隊"自製
的布口罩與感謝卡。(TFF提供)

              不少拿到客家花布口罩的人，還紛紛稱讚花色艷麗，振奮人心。

              陸續傳出的越來越多波士頓醫護人員，消防員，警員確診消息，例如3月27日時就有4家波士頓醫院的約150名職工確診，包括塔芙茨醫療中心52人，布里吉婦女醫院(BWH)45人，麻省總醫院(MGH)41人，波士頓醫療中心15人，3月30日時有19名波士頓警察，3名便衣警務人員確診，4月5日傳出100多名消防員確診等等，都讓人十分痛心。柳品貝，許淑芬，Iwen Hsu，Hsien Chi Lin等加入自製布口罩行列的人就更多了。

              在波士頓台灣影展，紐英崙客家鄉親會之外，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處，中華民國(台灣)科技部，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處科技組，紐英崙中華專業人員協會，波士頓台灣同鄉會，波士頓台灣媽媽親子會，波士頓台灣人生物科技協會，新英格蘭玉山科技協會，波士頓台灣龍舟隊，波士頓歡樂羽球這些機構，組織，也都加入了贊助行列。

              ”波士頓台灣抗疫團隊”目前仍在透過GoFundMe( https://bit.ly/2wwAYTy)募款，並籲請各界繼續捐助，以延續製作布口罩義舉，並將擴及購買護目鏡，面罩等個人防護設備。(更新版)

53歲波士頓警察因COVID-19辭世

(Boston Orange編譯)波士頓警察局今(14)日證實，已在警界服務29年，隸屬於E-13區的警察Jose Fontanez，感染新型冠狀病毒辭世。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin J. Walsh)和波士頓警察局局長葛羅斯(William Gross)今日下午5點左右在記者會中說明， 現年53歲的Jose Fontanez今日在波士頓醫療中心辭世，身後遺有4名子女，1名孫子女。他從1996年起就加入警局，在牙買加平原(Jamaica Plain)的E-13分局服務，迄今已29年。

             馬丁華殊表示，”今日病毒奪走了一名我們的英雄。我們以英雄的身分記住他，榮耀他，因為做為一名警察，他服務社區，不顧個人性命危險的保護我們。最終他犧牲了”。

            馬丁華殊說他和Jose Fontanez的妻子，兄弟談過了，要求他們都待在家裡，為紀念他的保持社交安全距離。

             他說，這提醒了大家，這病毒對我們所有人都是多麼危險。

             波士頓警察局局長葛羅斯表示，Jose Fontanez是個很棒的人，愛市，愛家。他也感謝了波士頓醫療中心的護士，醫生。

             他說，這對警察們來說是個頗大打擊，他們是個第一線工作人員的大家庭，他們不是機器人，並不能免疫，而這病毒幾乎摧毀了它接觸的每一個人。

             波士頓警察局發言人John Boyle探長早前曾透露，波士頓警察局至少有15名警察新型冠狀病毒確診，另有9名平民員工確診。Jose Fontanez則是病毒大流行期間第一個死亡者。

             麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)也在做每日疫情匯報時，表達了哀悼之意，同時指出，病毒大流行更加彰顯了執法人員工作的困難。

             麻州在4月14日的疫情數據為，因新型冠狀病毒而死者957人，確診者28,163人。

Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito Tour Field Medical Station at Joint Base Cape Cod, Announce Further COVID-19 Response Reporting Data

Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito Tour Field Medical Station at Joint Base Cape Cod, Announce Further COVID-19 Response Reporting Data

BOURNE – Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito today joined Massachusetts National Guard Adjutant Major General Gary W. Keefe to tour the ongoing work to establish a new Field Medical Station at Joint Base Cape Cod in Buzzards Bay. The administration also announced expanded COVID-19 response efforts reporting data to include statewide hospital capacity and PPE distribution.

Cape Cod Field Medical Station: The Joint Base Cape Cod Field Medical Station supports the Administration’s strategy to increase hospital bed capacity for COVID-19 patients across the Commonwealth through the development of five regional medical facilities. Cape Cod Healthcare serves as the field hospital’s local health care partner and will manage the facility, which will house 94 beds and expects to admit patients beginning next Monday, April 20.

Medical stations, like the one being deployed to Cape Cod, are required to set up in facilities of at least 40,000 square feet to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and include beds, supplies and a cache of medicine for basic care. Alternate medical sites like this one are in place to support existing hospital capacity in the region and do not provide care for walk-in patients.

Expanded COVID-19 Response Reporting: To support ongoing preparations for a surge in COVID-19 cases, Baker-Polito Administration today announced the expansion of COVID-19 response reporting to include statewide hospital capacity and PPE distribution data.

• Testing: Daily test reporting data, including number of positive cases, can already be found at this link at 4:00 PM each day.

• Hospital Capacity: Also at 4:00 PM each day, the Command Center will report hospital bed occupancy and availability as reported by Massachusetts hospitals at this link.

• PPE Distribution: Additionally, PPE distribution reports will be posted each day by 4:00 PM, and can be found here.  

The Baker-Polito Administration will continue to update the public on developments related to COVID-19. Residents can visit www.mass.gov/covid19 for the latest information, call 2-1-1 with questions, and text “COVIDMA” to 888-777 to subscribe to text-alert updates

聯邦及麻州援助項目一覽圖

圖片來源:伍少武，麻州眾議員Josh Cutler辦公室 

美東7州結盟 為疫情後復原做準備

(Boston Orange編譯)麻州和羅德島，紐約，新澤西，康州，德拉瓦州(Delaware)，賓州(Pennsylvania)等，正在組成7州委員會，攜手策畫疫情過後美國東部的逐步開放措施。

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)強調，目前仍是疫情高峰期，他不希望民眾會現在就開始以為疫情結束了。那種態度差不多就是麻州和全美導致自己陷入”半昏迷”般狀態的原因。

討論開放邊境，恢復正常生活步驟，其實是美國總統川普開的頭。他先說復活節，然後又說5月1日，想要讓重啟美國的日常生活。他也認為他有這權力可以這麼做。

不國美國各州，尤其是那些對居民祭出最嚴格限制的那些州的州長，卻不見得這麼認為。美東這7州委員會的州長們和美國西岸的某些州長看法類似，都將以協調方式來檢驗該如何取消”居家令”等限制。

羅德島州州長雷萌朵(Gina Raimondo)表示，”現實是病毒並不理會州界，我們的回應也不應該”。

麻州州長查理貝克的發言人Terry MacCormack也說，麻州州長的關注重心仍然是擴大檢測，醫院能量，以及麻州個人防護設備的供應。

查理貝克在4月13日的每日疫情匯報中也強調，他希望民眾明白，麻州正要經歷一段非常困難的時期。

麻州政府週一公佈的數據是，麻州現有大約16,000張適合新型冠狀病毒病人的病床，分散在60家急診病院。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin J. Walsh)也說，暱稱”波士頓希望”，有1000張病床容量的波士頓會議展覽中心(BCEC)這臨時醫院，已於週日晚住進45名病人。

麻州健康及人民事務廳廳長Marylou Sudders說，麻州設於屋斯特(Worcester)DCU中心的臨時醫院，也已住了10名病人。她警示的指出，可用的醫院病床明顯有區域差異，意味著一旦個案陡增，那些醫院有病床供那兒的病人使用，對麻州的調節病人流入量能力有很大影響。

麻州政府公佈的數據，關於可用的重症監護床差異尤其明顯。該數據顯示麻州有2000張重症病床還空置著，但其中有800床是座落在波士頓地區的醫院裏。麻州東北部可用的重症病床數最少，幾乎不到100床。

麻州政府從新型冠狀病毒大流行以來，就沒有公佈在特定一天之內，有多少人住院的訊息，也沒有公佈個別醫院收了多少病人住院，這些都是檢視病毒流行趨勢是嚴重了，還是降低了的依據。不過Marylou Sudders認為，即使有那些數據，也無法顯示實時情境，在最近每天有1000多宗確診個案的情況下，州政府會是直到7天或10天之後，才知道完整的住院人數。

在口罩問題上，麻州州長為買來的口罩品質辯護，強調全都是FDA認可的，也檢驗過，但未說明有多少是N95，多少是中國版的KN95口罩之外，麻州政府公佈的數據顯示，有362,136各口罩已於週日分送出去，至少有三分之一送進了護理之家，約83,600送給了醫院。不過數據並未詳列各送了多少口罩給哪家醫院。

波士頓環球報在報導中說，麻省總醫院(MGH)院長Peter L. Slavin博士也為口罩辯護，稱傳染病界領袖都證實，做得很好的KN95和N95一樣有效。同時也點名，把口罩運回麻州的飛機是新英格蘭愛國者隊的專機，而愛國者隊的董事長Jonathan Kraft，也同時是麻省總醫院董事會主席。

今晚約11萬戶人家停電

(Boston Orange編譯)麻州緊急管理局(FEMA)今(13)日下午大約6點時，大雨強風已讓11萬2000餘麻州居民家裡停電了。

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)在他的每日疫情匯報中也說，估計這天氣會在麻州多地帶來損壞性的大風，大雨，暴雷，並導致停電，民眾要記得先把手機及其他電器用品充飽電，備置手電筒，以及急救箱。

麻州公共設施部已和電力公司合作，在全州各地安置人員。波士頓消防局也報告，市內有多處地方的樹和電線杆，都被強風吹倒了。根據氣象局報告，麻州多個市鎮，包括Holyoke、西春田市( West Springfield)，南橋(Southbridge)，Scituate，衛斯理(Wellesley)，Brookfield，納提克(Natick)，瑟頓( Sutton)，曼斯菲爾德(Mansfield)，杭亭頓(Huntington)， Lakeville等，都有樹被風吹倒了。

阿靈頓鎮(Arlington)有戶人家的屋頂被大樹夾住了，威明頓(Wilmington)市有一人因為大樹壓屋，受傷送醫院了。

氣象局指出，到傍晚時，風速甚至高達每小時70英里。不過今晚過後，大風漸弱，天氣漸乾，逐漸好轉。

麻州確診人數增至26,867 死亡844 從中國買來的口罩成爭議話題

(Boston Orange 編譯) 2020年4月13日星期一，天氣不太好，麻州的COVID-19疫情嚴峻程度繼續攀升，新數據顯示，又有88人死於新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)，累計844人。確診人數也再次陡增逾千，累計26,867人。

從昨日早上10點至今日早上10點，做過COVID-19病毒檢測的統計人數，新增5,319人，也就是近700萬的麻州居民，現在有累計122,049人做過檢測。這和有些專家建議的全民檢測，落差還很大。

今日關於疫情的一大話題，是麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)費了九牛二虎之力，才從中國買到，還得動用新英格蘭愛國者隊專機，才能運回麻州的口罩。

99度公司將製作100萬件罩袍。(攝自州政府疫情報告視頻)

波士頓環球報4月2日晚的一篇報導，稱麻州各大醫院既沒收到州政府的口罩，也聽聞那些口罩是KN95，不是正牌的N95，就算拿到了，也為生命安全不敢用。

麻州州長查理貝克在今(13)日下午一點的例行疫情報告中，為他買回來的那120萬個口罩品質辯護，強調所有的口罩都是FDA批准的，也檢驗過的，已經送去醫院，護理之家，以及提供醫療服務場所等等。

他沒做進一步的解釋，只強調政府不斷聽到人們需要口罩，因而採取行動去買口罩。他很感謝參與促成此事的每一個人。

波士頓環球報的文章指麻州州長買回來的那些口罩，有部分可能是KN95，也就是中國版的N95口罩，而不是真正經過時間考驗，符合工業標準的N95正品口罩。波士頓有些醫院一直拒絕使用KN95，迄今仍然不願意使用。

麻省總醫院(MGH)董事長Peter L. Slavin博士在一份聲明中表示，傳染病學領袖已證實，一個製作良好的KN95，和人們所熟悉的N95一樣有效。

他說，這些口罩猶如上天賜給的禮物，州長查理貝克和愛國者隊東主羅伯卡夫特拿到這些口罩，真的是為麻州人民做了件大好事，值得人們真心感謝。

麻州州長查理貝克在今日的每日疫情報告中，除了說明國家衛隊和博德研究院(Broad Institute)攜手為護理之家，老人院等機構做檢測，聯邦政府送來的200台呼吸機，將於今明兩日分送給醫療機構，還宣揚一筆新的1060萬元補助款，要資助生產製造商，為第一線醫護人員製作個人防護設備。目前已有400家公司和州政府接洽，願意做口罩，袍服，拭紙或鞋套，其中有260家是麻州公司。

位於羅倫斯的99度(99-Degrees)要做100萬件袍服。該公司執行長Brenna Schneider也出席了疫情報告會。她說，她覺得有責任要用工廠的模具來做這些用品。