Daily coronavirus cases in Massachusetts on Sunday raced past a threshold that Gov. Baker set on Friday, when he forecast a 2,500-new-cases per day mark for the peak.
"If we do not see a flattening in the daily cases and in new hospitalizations, we may need to make some adjustments in our planning and we will," Baker said on Friday
The governor on Friday said Massachusetts was on the upward slope still and the peak might be closer to April 20, a week from today. New cases topped the 2,600 mark on Sunday.
The House and Senate are back in session Monday after three days away from Beacon Hill. The Senate plans to pass a bill that would ease signature-gathering requirements for many office seekers, but not those running for legislative seats.
Baker on Saturday said he hoped lawmakers could agree within days on a housing security bill that the House and Senate sent to a conference committee on Thursday. Lawmakers are balancing the negative impacts of the virus and economic shutdowns on renters and homeowners, but also landlords and building owners, and still weighing how best to structure financial relief.
Rather than an in-person meeting, Baker plans to join legislative leaders on a phone call Monday afternoon. Lawmakers plan their first Zoom legislative hearing Monday to accept testimony on legislation boosting public assistance during the state of emergency. And state transportation officials are leaning on technology to assist with a busy meeting agenda on Monday.
