The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $8.7 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse South Shore Hospital for the cost of contracting for additional staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $8,694,985 in Public Assistance grants will reimburse the community hospital in South Weymouth for the cost of contracting for temporary staff to respond to the surge in patents caused by pandemic between April 2020 and July 2022.
South Shore Hospital contracted for additional nurses, physicians, and project coordinators in emergency rooms, inpatient medical and surgical units, the intensive care unit and outpatient respiratory clinics.
The hospital also contracted for additional cleaning, interior facility disinfection and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist South Shore Hospital with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.8 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.