Gov. Baker faults decision to shift data collection from CDC
BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker is criticizing a decision by the Trump administration to shift the collection of hospital data related to the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to a private technology firm.
“It sets us up for a situation where it’s going to be very hard to understand what truth actually is as we try to figure out what’s going on in New England and what’s going on in the South and what’s going on in the West and even what’s going on in the hospitals in our own state,” Baker said during a Thursday press conference at the Massachusetts Statehouse.
Baker described the federal agency as the “source of truth” for data about the spread of the virus and said the country should continue to use the protocols, rules and definitions that have been established by the CDC to continue to monitor the virus.
"As this virus has continued to grow around the country, it’s more important than ever that the CDC be able to produce what I would describe as a daily statement on truth with regard to hospitalizations, cases, ICU utilization and all the rest,” the Republican said.
Baker said the shift will make it harder to monitor the progress of the virus not only around the country, but within Massachusetts.
President Donald Trump's administration has said the change will speed up reporting. CDC director Robert Redfield said Wednesday that he’s fine with the change.
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VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS
Massachusetts reported 12 confirmed and probable COVID-19-related deaths Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 8,380 in the state.
There were 234 newly confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, reported Thursday — bringing the total number of confirmed and probable cases to nearly 112,600 in Massachusetts.
There were 557 people reported hospitalized Thursday because of COVID-19, while 77 were in intensive care units.
The number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 related deaths at long-term care homes rose to 5,312 or more than 63% of all confirmed and probable deaths in Massachusetts attributed to the disease.
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SOLDIERS' HOME
Trustees of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke have endorsed multiple recommendations made in a highly critical state investigation into dozens of coronavirus-related deaths at the facility for aging veterans.
The board of trustees met by teleconference on Tuesday for the first time since the report was released on June 24, Masslive.com reported.
Members passed 13 resolutions to make widespread improvements to the operations and management of the home. They also passed a second package of reform plans calling on state officials to update the building to meet infection control standards, fill the now-vacant state director of Veterans Services position quickly with an experienced health care leader, and provide funding for a new electronic record-keeping system.
The leadership of the home made several “utterly baffling” decisions that allowed the disease to run rampant, investigators said in the report. In all, 76 veterans who contracted COVID-19 at the home have died.
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
More than 23,500 people filed initial claims for regular unemployment insurance from July 4 to July 11 — a decline of more than 3,000 over the previous week, the fifth consecutive week of decline.
From March 15 to July 11, more than 1 million individuals filed for regular unemployment insurance in Massachusetts.
Initial claims for a separate program — pandemic unemployment assistance — also fell.
About 12,800 people filed initial claims for the assistance for the week ending July 11 — slightly less than the previous week.
Since April 20, more than 664,000 people have filed initial claims for the pandemic assistance.
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WHARTON MANSION REOPENS
The Mount, author Edith Wharton’s Massachusetts mansion, has reopened for self-guided tours.
The grounds have been open for visitors to walk the trails and view the gardens throughout the coronavirus pandemic, but the main house in Lenox built in 1902 reopens Thursday, according to The Berkshire Eagle.
Advance reservations are required and under the state’s guidelines for visitors, capacity inside the mansion is limited to 60 guests at a time. Face coverings are required inside the house, while social distancing is expected for visitors when outside.
Wharton wrote more than 40 books in 40 years, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Age of Innocence."