20 New COVID-19 Testing Centers To Open With Federal Funding

Twenty new COVID-19 testing sites are expected to open in "testing deserts" by July, Gov. Charlie Baker said in a news conference Wednesday.

The sites are part of a new initiative to expand COVID-19 testing in Massachusetts, and will primarily open in communities of color, Baker said. The program is federally funded as part of $374 million that Massachusetts is receiving to boost testing capabilities.

Five percent of COVID-19 tests came back positive on Tuesday, Baker said, adding that continuing to follow guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is crucial to keeping the number of new cases down in Massachusetts.

"But we understand this guidance is in conflict with assembling to exercise First Amendment rights," he said.

The need to preserve public health must be balanced against the right of protesters to assemble to protest the death of George Floyd, Baker said. Protests were organized in Boston and Brockton last night, and several were held in the preceding days in Boston.

“There have been protests, none this big, but there have been protests on one thing or another during the course of the orders,” Baker said. “I think our view on this First Amendment rights like that are a balancing act for us in dealing with this pandemic and the contagious nature of it.”

Protesters should continue to wear face coverings, keep social distance as much as possible and use hand sanitizer, Baker said.

Baker said he plans to expand lab capacity to 45,000 tests per day by the end of June. So far, about 4.4 percent of the Massachusetts population has been tested for COVID each month.

There are 1,657 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, Baker said, and the three-day average of COVID-19 hospitalizations has dropped 50 percent over the last 30 days.

“Our administration urges Washington to continue to work with states and make more funding available for testing and tracing so that we can fight this virus with every tool and resource and prevent it from spreading into our communities in the months ahead,” Baker said.

Updates on state reopenings included guidelines for businesses that will be able to reopen in phase two, which Baker announced Monday. Phase two could begin as early as June 8.

Wednesday, for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, outside visits will be permitted at nursing homes. Guidance on safe practices, such as restricting visits for people who are suspected of having COVID-19, have also been issued.

The state is requiring day care programs, which will be able to open in phase two, to put plans into place that will encourage social distancing among children and limit the interaction of non-essential adults.

Parents and caregivers will be required to use one point of entry to drop children off outside the door. Drop-off times will be staggered to avoid too much interaction between families. Children and staff members will need to be screened for illness before being allowed in everyday.

Retail stores have been issued guidelines for how to reopen, including monitoring the number of people in stores, keeping social distancing practices and having a plan for sanitation and cleaning.