BOSTON — The state's pandemic "lockdown" is set to be lifted in one week but state officials aren't clear on how — or if — that will happen.

 

Gov. Charlie Baker at Monday's daily COVID-19 update declined at this point to say if the stay-home advisory would be extended. 

 

"The trend data remains reasonably high, but obviously whatever decision we make needs to come with a little thought and a plan behind it so we'll probably put that out later this week," he said. 

 

The stay-at-home advisory and an order closing non-essential businesses was extended on March 31 to May 4. Last week, the decision was made to keep schools closed through the end of the academic year. 

 

The governor said the state remains in the "surge" in cases of the novel coronavirus but there are signs that cases are plateauing. 

 

"As I said my remarks, we are continuing to see what I would call a plateau with respect to our hospitalization rates," he said in response to questions about why the decision couldn't be made now. "We believe that it's important for us to create some clarity around this issue with respect to May 4 and you'll hear from us later on later on this week ... 

 

"The trend data remains reasonably high. But obviously whatever decision we make needs to come with a little thought and a plan behind it."

 

A spike in hospitalizations occurred on April 13 but since then, the numbers have held steady at about 3,800 statewide. Just under 3,000 residents have so far died from the novel coronavirus, including 31 in Berkshire County. However, Western Massachusetts, a previous hot spot, has seen a decline in hospitalizations.

 

Baker said the state officials have "talked several times" with the Northeast coalition of states, a group created to keep each other abreast of standards being put in place for reopening nonessential businesses. 

 

Since surrounding states are at different phases of the pandemic, they are looking at reopening sooner or later than Massachusetts. 

 

"But that's part of the reason why we're talking all the time to Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, because we all want to make sure we don't do anything that creates problems for each other," the governor said.  

 

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott last week signed orders allowing certain businesses to reopen this week along guidelines and training issued by the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Further openings will be allowed beginning next Monday. 

 

Baker stressed that more testing will have to done even as the state is now averaging between 8,000 and 10,000 a day. That's in addition to antibody testing that's occurring. 

 

Antibody testing may be productive in some ways but it shows who had the virus, he said, not who has it now. This particularly important because up to 40 percent of those with COVID-19 show few or no symptoms. 

 

"I want to know how many of those folks, especially if they're in certain lines of work, are going to test positive because that's going to be important because they're carriers," Baker said. "That's one of the reasons why we changed our guidance with respect to face coverings."

 

He said he and other governors have pressed the federal Food and Drug Administration to take more of a lead in delivering testing.

 

"We have talked about collectively not just here in Massachusetts but governors generally around the country that the FDA, especially when it comes to testing, has a bigger and broader role than the one that it's been delivering on so far," the governor said. "And many of us urged Congress to make sure they provided additional funds and support to both the FDA and the CDC in this last round of federal response to the COVID 19 crisis and they did."

 

He anticipated further conversation during the summer on how voting will take place and expected that the four special State House elections in May and June will be mostly done by mail. 

 

Officials also announced another round in funding for nursing homes that have been hard hit by the pandemic of $130 million, on top of the same amount on April 15, as well as help for staffing support. Facilities will have to abide by a set of benchmarks including increased testing, infection control, cleaning services and protective equipment use. 

 

"We are also announcing a second phase of funding $44 million for our residential service providers who contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. "This $44 million is specifically to address unplanned for and thus unbudgeted services and items in response to the pandemic, such as increased staffing, overtime and staffing related costs, infection control, and personal protective equipment supplies."

 

Massachusetts will be seeking reimbursement from the federal government at the 75/25 percent allocation that could be up to $105 million in reimbursements to the state, she said.