Gov. Baker declares 'state of emergency'

"Today I'm declaring a state of emergency in Massachusetts.

This declaration will give our administration more flexibility to respond to this evolving outbreak," Baker said.

EMERGENCY IN MASSACHUSETTS.THIS DECLARATION WILL GIVE OURMINISTRY SHOW MORE FLEXIBILITYTO RESPOND TO THIS EVOLVINGOUTBREAK.IN ADDITION TO THE STATE OFEMERGENCY, OUR ADMINISTRATION ISMOVING FORWA WITH ENHANCEDGUIDANCE FROM EMPLOYERS ANDLARGE ORGANIZATIONS.RESPONDING TO THIS EVOLVINGTHREAT REQUIRES EVERYONE TO BEVIGILANT AND FOR EVERYONE TO BEPART OF THIS EFFORT.ADDITION TO PRACTICING GOODPERSONAL HYGIENE, WE ALL MUSTCONSIDER HOW OUR ACTIONS ANDCHOICES AS EMPLOYRS, COMMUNITYLEADERS, WORKERS, AND RESIDENTSCAN HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACT OFTHIS DISEASE.ARE HERE TO ALLY NEWPROTOCOLS FOR EXECUTIVE BRANCHEMPLOYEES.THE COMMONWEALTH IS ONE OF THELARGEST EMPLOYEES, AS --EMPLOYERS, SO WE HAVE ASIGNIFICANT ROLE TO PLAY INMITIGATING THE SPREAD OF THISVIRUS.WE URGE ALL EMPLOYERS ANDORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW SUITWHERE IT IS APPROPRIATE.BEFORE I GET INTO THE DETAILS ONTHE ENHANCED MITIGATION EFFORT,I WANT TO STATE WHY IT ISIMPORTANT TO TAKE THESE STEPSNOW.AT THIS TIME, THE NUMBER OFPEOPLE INFECTED IS VERY MUCHWITHIN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM’CAPACITY.THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INISOLATION RIGHT NOW HAS MINIMALIMPACT ON COMMERCE.THE PURPOSE OF MOVING FORWARDWITH THESE MEASURES NOW IS TOACT BEFORE THE VIRUS SPREAD --TH HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS NATURE OFTHIS DISEASE MEANS THAT IFEVERYONE PLAYS THEIR PART ANDSLOWING THE SPREAD, THE NUMBEROF PEOPLE WHO BECOME INFECTEDAND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTIONDOES NOT SPIKE ALL AT ONCE,WHICH WOULD OVERWHELM OURSYSTEMS.WE UNDERSTAND THAT ASKING PEOPLETO CHANGE HABITS, CANCEL EVENTS,CANCEL TRAVEL IS INCONVENIENT.WE ALSO UNDERSTAND IT COMES WITHA FINANCIAL IMPACT.BUT WAITING ACT, AND ALLOWINGINFECTIONS T SPIKE, WOULD NOTONLY SEVERELY HAMPER OURHOSPITALS’ ABILITY TO CARE FORPATIENTS, BUT WOULD HAVE --IMPACT AS WELL.THE GUIDELINES WE ARE RELEASINGPROHIBITS TRAVE, AND ENCOURAGESTELEWORKING.STARTING TOMORROW, THE FOLLOWINGGUIDANCE WILL BE IN EFFECT.ALL WORK-RELAT TRAVEL, FOREIGNAND DOMESTIC, IS TO BEDISCONTINUED.WE ALSO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THATEXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES AVOIDANY PERSONAL INTERNATIONALTRAVEL.CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, AND OTHERDISCRETIONARY GATHERINGS HOSTEDBY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIESINVOLVING EXTERNA PARTIES ARETO BE HELD VIRTUALLY ORCANCELED.REGULAR INTERNAL BUSINESS SHALLCONTINUE, INCLUDING NOT --INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TOMEETINGS.ADDITIONALLY, EMPLOYEES SHOULDNOT ATTEND EXTERNAL,WORK-RELATED CONFERENCES,SEMINARS, OR EVENTS.FINALLY, SYMPTOMSSHOULD NOT COME INTO WORK.INFORMATION TO DATE REGARDINGCOVID-19 INDICATES THAT THEHIGHEST RISK POPULATION INCLUDESOLDER ADULTS AND INDIVIDUALSWITH CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS.EMPLOYEES IN THIS RISK GROUP AREENCOURAGED TO TALK WITH THEIRSUPERVISORS TO REVIEW POSSIBLEALTERNATIVE WORK ASSIGNMENTS.EACH OF THE ABOVE MEASURES WILLBE REVISITED IN 30 DAYS ORSOONER AS CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE.WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TSTART TAKING MORE AGGRESSIVEACTION NOW TO MITIGATE SPREADACED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVEAVAILABLE.THERE IS NO QUESTION THE EFFORTSTO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THISVIRUS WILL BE DISRUPTIVE.WE EXPECT THE DISRUPTION TOCONTINUE FOR THE FORESEEABLEFUTURE AND UNDERSTAND IT WILLCAUSE INCONVENIENCE FOR MANY.OUR GOAL NEEDS TO BE TOSIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE EFFORTSTO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THISDISEASE NOW.WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK INPRESUMPTIVE POSITIVE CASES INPART AS A RESULT OF INCREASEDTESTING.MORE CASES WILL BE REPORTED INTHE NEAR FUTURE AS MORE TESTINGIS DONE.THIS IS A SERIOUS DISEASEPARTICULARLY FOR OLDER RESIDENTSAND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITHPRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONSLIKE RESPIRATORY DISEASE, LUNGDISEASE AND HEART DISEASE.THE REASON WE ARE MOVING FORWARDWITH THIS ENHANCED GUIDANCE ISTO MITIGATE THE ADVERSE IMPACTSTHAT LARGE NUMBERS OF INFECTIONSCOULD HAVE ON OUR HEALTH-CARESYSTEM, OUR COMMUNITIES ANDTHOSE INDIVIDUA WHO ARE MOSTPRONE TO THIS PARTICULARILLNESS.AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, FOR THEBEST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHOCONTRACT THIS DISEASE, IS NOTDEADLY.THE LATEST RESEARCH SHOWS THATCHILDREN AND YOU PEOPLE ARE ATLOW RISK OF HEALTHCOMPLICATIONS.WE MUST STEP UP THESE MITIGATIONEFFORTS TO AVOID IT LARGENUMBERS OF PEOPLE REQUIRINGMEDICAL CARE ALL AT THE SAMETIME.THIS WAY, OUR HEALTH CAREFACILITIES CAN CONTINUE TOPROVIDE WORLD-CLASS CARE THATTHEY ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING.AS I SAID BEFORE, EVERYONE HAS AROLE TO PLAY TO STAY HEALTHY ANDTHAT IS WHY I URGE EMPLOYERS ANDOTHER LARG ORGANIZATIONS TOFOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE WHEREPOSSIBLE, LIMIT OR ELIMINATENONESSENTIAL TRAVEL, LIMIT ORELIMINATE LARGE EVENTS WHEREPOSSIBLE, AND EXPLORE TELEWORKWE POSSIBLE FOR YOURORGANIZATION.THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILLCONTINUE TO OPERATEUNINTERRUPTED.WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THENEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.REQUIRE PUBLIC MEETINGS ANDOTHER GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS WILLSTILL TAKE PLACE.IT OUR SECRETARIES,COMMISSIONERS AND DIRECTORS WILLCONSTANTLY EVALUATE HOW TOBALANCE SERVING THE PEOPLE OFMASSACHUSETTS WITH IMPLEMENTINGTHESE MET -- MITIGATION EFFORTSTO SLOW THE SPREAD OFCORONAVIRUS AND OTHER GERMS.IT KNOW EVERYONE WILL HAVE A LOTOF QUESTIONS.WHAT WE JUST OUTLINED OURREQUIREMENTS FOR THE EXECUTIVEBRANCH.WE BELIEVE THE PRIVATE SECTORAND OTHER LARGE ORGANIZATIONSSHOULD FOLLOW THEM WHEREAPPROPRIATE.ON SPORTING EVENTS, WE AREURGING OLDER EVENTS -- ADULTSAND THOSE WITH HEALTH ISSUES TOAVOID AT LARGE EVENTS HURRIEDPEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLDS WITHVULNERABLE PEOPLE LIKE ELDERLYPARENTS SHOULD CONSIDER AVOIDINGLARGE CROWDS.IT WE BELIEVE THE MAYOR ANDCONGRESSMAN AND THE ORGANIZERSMADE THE RIGHT CALL TO CANCELTHE ST.

PATRICK’S DAY PARADE ANDBREAKFAST IN SOUTH BOSTON.REGARDING THE MARATHON, IT ISSTILL OVER ONE MONTH AWAY AND WECONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS WITHTHE CITY OF BOSTON AS WE GETCLOSER TO THE EVENT.WITH RESPECT TO WRITING PETIT,-- T T, ADULTS AND THOSE WITHHEALTH ISSUES SHOULD AVOID LARGECROWDS IF POSSIBLE BUT WEUNDERSTAND MANY NEED IT TO GETTO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.IT IS WORKING TO DISPENSESYSTEMS.WITH RESPECT TO EDUCATION, THEDEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY ANDSECONDARY EDUCATION IS PROVIDINGLOCAL SCHOO WITH RELIEF FROMATTENDANCE AND SCHOOL YOURREQUIREMENTS SO THE SCHOOL YOURREQUIREMENTS SO THE SCHOOLDISTRICT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TOMAKE DECISIONS ON A TEMPORARYCLOSUR DUE TO CORONAVIRUSCONCERNS.AT MORE SPECIFICALLY, THELONGEST THAT ANY SCHOOL DISTRICTWILL BE REQUIRED TO GO ISSCHEDULED 185TH DAY.NO SCHOOLS WILL BE REQUIRED TOBE IN SESSION AFTER JUNE 30.FOR ACCOUNTABILITY PURPOSES,THEY WILL CALCULA CHRONICABSENTEEISM AS OF MONDAY, MARCH2, 2020 AND DISREGARD ALLATTENDANCE DATA FOR THEIR MAKEROF THE SCHOOL YEA READ THEIRURGI ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT’S TOCANCEL OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL ATTHIS TIME WHIC IS IN ADDITIONTO OUR REQUEST FOR SCHOOLS TOCANCEL INTERNATIONAL TRIPSTHE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTHWHAT ISSUE UPDATED GUIDANCE TOSUPERINTENDENTS ON HOW TOADDRESS CASES THAT ARRIVE AT ASCHOOL INCLUDING POTENTIALSCHOOL CLOSURES.CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES THATSAW A EARLY OUTBREAKS ARE MAKINGPROGRESS AND PUSHING BACKAGAINST THE DISEASE.IT IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF EVERYBODYPLAYS THEIR PART.IT IS ON POSSIBLE IF STEP UPMITIGATIONS HAPPEN NOW.CORONAVIRUS IS A RAPIDLYEVOLVING DISEASE.IT WE’RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THERESOURCES AND EXPERTISE OF OURTALENTED PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALSAND WORLD-CLASS HEALTH CAREPROVIDERS TO SUPPORT THECOMMONWEALTH IN BATTLING THISDISEASE AND WE URGE ALL OF OURRESIDENTS TO DO THEIR PAR