Photo: James Rojas/ WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Gov. Charlie Baker is activating the Massachusetts National Guard to support state hospitals that are straining under high COVID cases and a staffing shortage.
The governor will activate up to 500 members of the Guard to help with the non-medical parts of the hospitals' operation, like taking patients between hospitals and nursing homes, security, and taking patients between their rooms and tests. Gov. Baker and Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders made that announcement at a press conference on Tuesday morning.
300 of those members will be trained this week, to support 55 hospitals and 12 ambulance services and will report for work on Monday.
Read More: Boston Announces Vaccine Mandate For Indoor Dining, Other Spaces
The Baker Administration also announced that hospitals would need to postpone or cancel all in-patient elective procedures after Sunday to free up beds. The Administration issued a blanket indoor mask advisory, but Gov. Baker said he had "no interest" in putting a statewide mask mandate in place, and said local towns and cities could choose differently.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) Reports:
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