MA Coronavirus: Army Engineers May Help Expand Hospital Capacity

BOSTON, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker said Saturday the state will work with the Army Corps of Engineers to build new or modify existing buildings to manage the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Massachusetts.

Baker said several sites had been identified as places that could be used to treat patients. Earlier this week Harvard Global Health Institute warned Massachusetts hospitals would run out of beds even in the best-case scenario used to project the spread of coronavirus.

"I'd refer to locations generically instead of specifically because there is still work to be done to determine if they would be appropriate," Baker said. Baker said college dorms, big venues and nursing homes as places the Army could convert into makeshift medical facilities.

In his daily update on the state's response to COVID-19, Baker said the state will open more than 300 emergency child care facilities Monday for critical services workers, including hospital workers, first responders and grocery store workers. The facilities will be located throughout the state.

Also on Saturday, Baker said testing capacity has continued to increase in Massachusetts. The state completed 962 test Friday, up from 520 Wednesday.

Baker appeared to tense up when asked again if he planned to execute a shelter in place order for Massachusetts. He noted that states that had implemented such orders still allowed people to go to grocery stores, pharmacies or "for a walk."

"Nowhere has the position of government, local or state, been that you should spend all your time at home," he said. "We will continue to make adjustments based on facts as they become available."