Muriel Baillie—
As part of the Massachusetts Contingency Plan in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, there will be a morgue built in the Landry Arena. 
The mayor of Fitchburg, Stephen DiNatale, spoke at a televised address for a city information update on Wednesday, April 1. “This temporary facility will provide increased short-term capacity for cities, towns, and medical facilities. If necessary, in the event of an increase in decedents or a decrease in the mortuary workforce,” said DiNatale. He also ensured that this will cause no risk to the public at large. 
The morgue will consist of five refrigerated trucks and a large medical tent. The purpose of the morgue is to act as a bridge between health care facilities and funeral homes with a strict protocol for safety, as well as being respectful to the deceased. 
“It seems necessary as Fitchburg State can hold something that big, but it’s scary at the same time because it is happening at our place,” said Fitchburg State student Andrew Pelzer. 
As of April 1, 2020, the city of Fitchburg has 44 confirmed COVID19 cases.