Emergency and hospital preparedness
- Surge capacity planning (ED, EMS, etc.)
- Staff and training
- Resource/supply allocation and increased demand (PPE, medications, cooling, hydration)
- Pharmacy needs
- Data and maintaining situational awareness
Emergency medical services
- Reviewing staffing needs if near venue site
- Mass casualty incident (MCI) plans and refresher training
- Access to interpreter services
- Awareness of information updates and advisories
Public health and infectious disease
- Infectious-disease surveillance
- Travel-related illness, history, and disease recognition (all health care)
- Screening and testing protocols
- Outbreak response
- Foodborne illness investigation and control
Environmental health and heat-related illnesses
- Heat illness monitoring and mitigation
- Extreme heat and air quality
- Radiation exposure (planning for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive incidents)
Urgent Care
- Accommodating international visitors (language, pricing, signage)
- Data, surveillance, and reporting
- Infection prevention and control
- Staff and workforce planning
- Hours of operation and access
Communications
- Translation services and language access
- Care for international visitors
- Insurance considerations and payment of services
- Risk communications and consulate interaction
Disaster preparedness and mass gathering
- Crowd-related injuries and MCI planning
- Patient tracking
- Family reunification
- Capacity considerations
- Contingency planning
- Continuity of operations
- Emergency and escalation protocols
- Continuity of routine care
Other considerations
- Substance use
- Consulate/embassy and VIPs
- Human rights, human trafficking, and sexual assault
- Security (such as when treating players)
- Connecting with your public health and health care partners (health care coalitions, local health, EMS, community health centers, local emergency management)
- Equity and access (uninsured and/or unfamiliar visitors)
- Logistic and site considerations (near venue/fan zones)
- Other needs as determined
Resources from DPH
- Epidemiology Line for reporting infectious diseases as well as surveillance and control inquiries: (617) 983–6800
- Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPEM) system logins for partners (DPH WebEOC, Health and Homeland Alert Network, etc.)
- Extreme heat in Massachusetts: explore guidance, tools, and resources to help health care professionals support communities to stay safe during periods of extreme heat in Massachusetts, and sign up for Unhealthy Heat Alerts through the Health and Homeland Alert Network
- Division of Radiation Control
- Foodborne illness investigation
Additional resources
- Information about preparations throughout the Healey-Driscoll administration: Matchy-Ready Massachusetts
- Boston 26, the official Host City initiative for the FIFA World Cup 2026™
- National Human Trafficking Hotline
- Sexual assault resources (rape crisis centers throughout the state)
- Local boards of health (listings from Massachusetts Health Officers Association)
- Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE): Health Care Planning for Mass Gatherings and Special Events and Hospital Readiness and Response Guidebook
Protecting public health during the World Cup
Explore all resources about how DPH is preparing for safe and healthy celebrations.
Contact
Online
Fax
(617) 624-5206
Address
250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
Online
Phone
OPEM Duty Officer
Call Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management, OPEM Duty Officer at (617) 339-8351
On-call 24/7, call in the event of a public health or healthcare emergency
Address
250 Washington St., Boston, MA 02108