BOSTON (WHDH) - Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday urged all residents to “dig deep and stay put” because Massachusetts is “still very much in the grips” of the coronavirus pandemic and a return to normalcy is still likely a long way away.
“I want to address what I think is on everybody’s mind, which is when does new normal get here. Right now the Commonwealth is still in the surge, and while we’re seeing fewer positive cases per day, more and more COVID-19 patients are being admitted to our hospitals,” Baker said during a news conference at the State House. “The data shows were still very much in the grips of a pandemic here in Massachusetts. I know that’s hard to hear and it’s hard for me to say.”
Baker said that it’s impossible to predict a timeline for returning to normal because there are still many unknowns when it comes to COVID-19.
“Our healthcare experts and epidemiologists are learning more every day but what we do know is that there’s no cure, there’s no vaccine, and the COVID-19 is an insidious and at times invisible virus.”
Baker noted that the Commonwealth’s healthcare system has been able to keep up with caring for infected patients in part thanks to members of the public who have been staying home, working remotely, practicing social distancing, and wearing face masks when outside.
In order to defeat the coronavirus, Baker explained that all residents need to stay strong and keep doing what they’ve been doing.
“While we ask for your full cooperation to get this job done, please know that we’re working hard to think about a strategy to reopen the economy,” Baker said. “We’ll have much more to say about this in the days ahead as we pull together the best and brightest minds from our business, public health, and academic communities to work together to put together a thoughtful framework that can work in Massachusetts.”
Baked added that he understands that everyone wants to move on from the pandemic but urged everyone to remember the thousands of lives that are at stake.
“I can’t wait to see my 91-year-old dad again but I don’t want to see him unless the circumstances, and the situations, and the rules of engagement are right and that the data, the prerequisites about what’s actually going on on the ground here in Massachusetts support that kind of thing,” Baker said. “Doing it wrong can create more hardship for everyone in the long run and we’re going to do everything we can to avoid that. People need to dig deep and stay put. Please only go out when you need to and wear a mask or cover your face in public, especially if you’re in a position where you won’t be able to physically distance.”
Baker also said that he is encouraged that there have been fewer positive coronavirus cases reported in recent days but cautioned that it is too soon to draw any sort of conclusion.
“First, a few days does not represent a trend. We have said that many times and we have seen the data bounce around over the course of more than a few days,” Baker said. “Second, the number of positive tests is entirely dependent on who gets tested. What I mean by that is the daily test totals don’t represent necessarily what’s happening across the entire Commonwealth.”
Baker went on to announce that all public and private schools in Massachusetts will be closed for the rest of the school year.
As of Monday night, there were 1,809 reported coronavirus deaths in the Bay State with 39,643 confirmed cases.
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