The City has moved to create a partnership with Everett and Revere to potentially use a hotel on Rt. 1 in Revere to house COVID-19 patients who seemingly have nowhere else to go.
Already, Ambrosino said, that has happened in Chelsea, and it’s what prompted him to move quickly to partner with other communities. The state’s MEMA operates a hotel for such situations, but it is in Lexington, and many believe it will fill up quickly.
“We are working hard to secure the Quality Inn in Revere,” he said. “The logistics of doing that is extraordinarily challenging. They’re going to hand us the keys and say good luck. We have to decide how to operate it and staff it. It’s incredibly complicated and we hope to do that next week…We’re still working out the details now and it’s not done.”
The issue in Chelsea crept up due to complicated living situations that many in the city find themselves in – and which become very difficult when someone comes up positive for COVID-19. Ambrosino said one resident had been living with extended family for some time, but then went to the hospital and tested positive for the virus.
Upon being discharged, that resident was told they couldn’t return to the home where they had been living.
It is situations like that – which have come up in Chelsea, in Revere, and are believed to come soon in Everett – that brought all three City leaders together on the issue.
“In a perfect world, MEMA would be able to step in and provide this service, but they are stretched thin all over the state,” he said. “Cities and Towns need to take it on themselves to solve problems and I need to solve this fast.”
Ambrosino said if anyone is in trouble for any reason, whether housing or food, they should call 3-1-1, or (617) 466-4209.