HYANNIS – Governor Charlie Baker said the Commonwealth is currently in its second wave of coronavirus cases, though healthcare providers are prepared to meet the need for space.
Baker, who held a briefing on the state’s response Tuesday, said that field hospitals to deal with any surges in cases will be constructed throughout the state, depending on local need.
If required, 400 acute care beds can be converted into ICU beds, as well.
“COVID-19 has now been with us for the better part of a year, and we’ve learned a lot about how to address this terrible virus. In addition to building a massive testing and tracing infrastructure, we’ve also executed our plans to better manage our healthcare systems during the pandemic,” said Baker.
“Our experience from last spring shows that creating enough space to safely treat COVID-19 patients and other patients throughout our healthcare system is the single most important aspect we have of mitigating the pandemic as safely as possible. Being prepared for every scenario is critical.”
He warned that residents of Massachusetts should not become complacent and “COVID fatigued” as the pandemic continues, and that all safety precautions like mask wearing and social distancing should still be practiced to keep the case numbers as low as possible as winter approaches.
He reminded residents to follow the most recent orders and limits on gatherings, as well as abide by the new stay-at-home advisory between 10 PM and 5 AM.
Jody White, President and CEO of Lowell General Hospital and Circle Health, said that thanks to experience dealing with the pandemic earlier in the year, healthcare workers are better equipped now to deal with case increases.
“We don’t know precisely what the second wave of COVID might look like, but we are in a much stronger position to respond because of the many lessons learned from the unprecedented challenges we faced earlier this year,” said White.
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