News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SNOW poses VACCINE challenge — ‘SUPERSTAR cities’ in trouble

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SNOW poses VACCINE challenge — ‘SUPERSTAR cities’ in trouble — New POLICE COMMISSIONER WHITE sworn in

Feb 02, 2021

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Do we have six more weeks of winter ahead of us?

SNOW POSES VACCINATION CHALLENGE — Massachusetts began its second phase of distributing the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday, after facing criticism from lawmakers and others that the pace of the rollout here has been too slow. Adults over the age of 75 are now eligible to get the shot.

A nor'easter that hit the state Monday into Tuesday may have delayed the vaccination effort for some, though hundreds of seniors were still able to get their shots. Gov. Charlie Baker said during a press briefing on Monday that vaccine providers feel confident they can reschedule canceled appointments within the week. Mass vaccination sites at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium opened and closed early on Monday, and both facilities plan to operate as usual today.

"The one thing that may be a little bit of a curveball," Baker said, is health care providers that had been vaccinating employees, and planned to begin vaccinating patients at the beginning of the week. That process could be delayed until Wednesday due to the storm.

The new phase of vaccinations comes at a pivotal time. Massachusetts passed 500,000 cases of the virus yesterday, a year after the first case was detected here on Feb. 1, 2020. The daily caseload continues to go down after the holiday surge, though the state has found a few cases of a new, more contagious variant of the virus linked to the United Kingdom.

Massachusetts remains behind more than half the country when it comes to the percentage of the population that's received a dose of the vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Sorted by the percentage of vaccine supply used, Massachusetts ranks ahead of just a handful of states. Officials have raised concerns that the CDC data are not entirely up-to-date, though it does paint a rough picture of where Massachusetts stands compared to the rest of the country.

Baker defended the pace of the rollout on Monday, saying the early phases of vaccination were more targeted here than in other states, and therefore happened at a slower pace. The state is working to stand up a call center this week to help schedule vaccination appointments, which Baker said he'll offer details about on Wednesday or Thursday.

"Keep in mind that we are the only state in the country that put particular emphasis on congregate care out of the gate," Baker said. "We're one of a very small number of states that actually said we wanted to vaccinate all of our frontline health care workers first."

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts surpasses 500K total COVID cases since start of pandemic; officials reports 2,270 new cases, 30 deaths on Monday," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "State health officials confirmed another 2,270 COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases statewide to 500,415 since the start of the pandemic. There are currently 71,929 active infections across Massachusetts, a number which continues to decline as viral activity diminishes."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Baker says proposed drug overcharging penalties would total $70m," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "It's Baker versus drug companies, take two. Gov. Charlie Baker, in his fiscal 2022 budget proposal, is reviving a controversial plan to penalize drug companies for charging too much for their drugs. The budget estimates that $70 million in overcharging penalties would be collected in the fiscal year beginning July 1, with $47.5 million earmarked for a trust fund that supports community health centers and community hospitals and the rest going to the general fund."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Marty Walsh, Charlie Baker say improvements coming to Massachusetts vaccine rollout," by Alexi Cohan and Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Improvements are on the way for the slow coronavirus vaccine rollout in Massachusetts, according to Gov. Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin Walsh, who admitted vaccination efforts have been challenging."

– "Colleges Distribute Vaccines, Though Most Students, Faculty Aren't Eligible For Shots Yet," by Kirk Carapezza, GBH News: "A handful of Massachusetts college campuses are serving as vaccine distribution centers, sparking a public health debate, as most college students and faculty won't be eligible for their shots until April at the earliest. Boston University, Northeastern, Tufts, UMass, Salem State and Harvard are already operating as vaccine distribution centers, and the state has approved about a dozen more colleges to administer vaccines."

– "Biddinger analyzes vaccine rollout challenges," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "Dr. Paul Biddinger, who specializes in emergency preparedness at Massachusetts General Hospital and heads the governor's COVID-19 vaccination advisory board, says a third of those eligible to be inoculated in Phase 1 haven't received their shots yet even as Phase 2 begins today. In an interview on The Codcast, Biddinger acknowledged the ups and downs of the vaccine rollout."

– "With one mass COVID vaccine site west of Worcester, state legislators call for more options in Western Massachusetts," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Lawmakers urged the Baker administration to add vaccination sites across the region in a letter dated Monday, which was addressed to Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and Gov. Charlie Baker. Lawmakers recommended partnering with UMass Amherst, the community health centers and local governments to launch a site in Hampshire or Franklin county."

– "Seniors offered free rides to vaccination sites," by John Laidler, Boston Globe: "Mystic Valley Elder Services is now providing free transportation to local COVID-19 vaccination sites for older residents that need it. The Malden-based agency recently began offering the service to residents 60 years and older in its 11-community region who have no other means to get to the locations."

FROM THE HUB

– "Covid Wears on, Essential Workers Carry on: 'Everybody Forgets That You're Still on the Front Line,'" by Jennifer Levitz, Valerie Bauerlein and Alejandro Lazo, The Wall Street Journal: "When the state shut down around her in March, 67-year-old Joyce Babineau, a supermarket employee in Dartmouth, Mass., was among the many workers who stayed on the job providing basic needs during the pandemic. She felt pride walking into Stop & Shop at 6 a.m. five days a week. She also felt constant dread knowing she was risking the health of her husband, who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."

– "Commissioner Dennis White, a Dorchester native, takes the watch at BPD," by Mia McCarthy, Dorchester Reporter: "Mayor Martin Walsh swore in Dorchester native Dennis White as the city's 43rd police commissioner during a ceremony at Faneuil Hall on Monday morning. After being sworn in, White said he is accepting this honor on behalf of the Dorchester community of his childhood."

– "New Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White: Completing Reforms A Top Priority," by Adam Reilly, GBH News: "Boston's new police commissioner, Dennis White, says he'll make reforming the Boston Police Department a top priority as he steps into his new role."

– "Secret Addiction Treatment Shoppers Log Hard Sell Tactics At Some Residential Programs," by Martha Bebinger, WBUR: "Luxury rooms, help with travel, pressure to enroll and requests for family contact info. These were some of the recruitment tactics encountered by callers posing as uninsured heroin users when they reached 368 residential addiction treatment programs across the U.S. seeking help."

– "City announces events celebrating Black History Month," by Charlie McKenna, Boston Globe: "The city of Boston plans to hold a series of virtual events to commemorate Black History Month, ranging from a virtual panel on 'America and the Reckoning' to a showcase for local Black artists."

– "Superstar Cities Are in Trouble," by Derek Thompson, The Atlantic: "According to U-Haul's annual review, California lost more people to out-migration than any other state in 2020, and the five largest states in the Northeast—New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maryland—joined California in the top 10 losers. Rents have fallen fastest in 'pricey coastal cities,' including San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Boston, and New York City, according to Apartment List."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "Boston councilors likely to pass plan to nix special election," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "The Boston City Council appears poised to pass a home-rule petition on Wednesday that could avoid a special mayoral election this year should Mayor Martin J. Walsh leave his post before March 5 to take a new job in the Biden administration."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "Officials are taking a look at extending the Silver Line. Here's where." by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Nearly three years ago, state officials extended the MBTA's Silver Line to Chelsea. Now, they're looking to take it farther. Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and MBTA announced the launch of a study of the feasibility and costs of extending Silver Line service into three additional cities: Everett, Somerville, and Cambridge."

DAY IN COURT

– "Former Transit Police Officer Nicholas Morrissey indicted after authorities say he pinned his knee on the back of a Black man," by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: "A former Transit police officer was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury last week in connection to an incident last April when authorities say he pinned a Black man face down on the ground with his knee and filed a report that was contradicted by video."

– "Lowell, Westford women indicted for allegedly scamming over $100 million from Medicare and MassHealth," by Stefan Geller, The Lowell Sun: "Two local women are facing a litany of federal charges after they allegedly scammed MassHealth and Medicare out of more than $100 million by committing health care fraud and paying kickbacks to induce referrals, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling."

FROM THE DELEGATION

– "Exclusive: Pressley, Warren, and Lee reintroduce bill to fight racism in public health," by Fabiola Cineas, Vox: "New data shows that Black and brown communities aren't being reached by mass vaccination efforts, with white Americans having greater access to the vaccine. To tackle these glaring disparities — and the harmful health effects of decades of systemic racism more broadly — Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Barbara Lee are reintroducing a bill in Congress."

– "Congresswoman Clark On President Biden's Economic Stimulus Package: 'This Is About Crushing This Virus,'" by Joe Mathieu, GBH News: "President Joe Biden is meeting with a group of Republican senators to talk about a counterproposal to Biden's nearly $2 trillion stimulus plan, which many believe is already overdue. GBH Morning Edition host Joe Mathieu spoke with Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, about where she stands on a potential stimulus compromise."

– "Stimulus plan has 'zero chance' of getting delayed by Republicans, says US Rep Lori Trahan," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "As President Joe Biden prepares to meet Monday with a group of Republican senators to discuss a slimmed-down COVID-19 stimulus package, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan said Monday that bipartisanship should take a back seat to getting people and businesses the relief they need."

DATELINE D.C.

– "Pittsfield native's working introduction to Capitol: A siege, a sanitizer pole for protection — and praise," by Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle: "Pittsfield native Patrick Fallon's first act as a freshman congressman was to defend the nation's home to democracy. During the deadly mob attack on the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, Fallon and several other members of the U.S. House of Representatives armed themselves with makeshift weapons as Capitol Police evacuated the House chamber."

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "ADIEU PEDEY," "MORE TROOPER TROUBLE," — Globe: "Pedroia hangs up his spikes," "Seniors get their shot."

FROM THE 413

– "Mass Dems Chair Apologizes To Party Members For Role In Scandal — But Not To Alex Morse," by Eoin Higgins, The Intercept: "At a recent meeting of Democratic Party officials, Massachusetts Democratic Chair Gus Bickford apologized for his role in the Alex Morse scandal — a gesture that many at the meeting felt was long overdue."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Number of COVID-19 patients at DCU Center Field Hospital continue to decline," by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette: "The number of COVID-19 patients at the DCU Center Field Hospital continues to decline in line with state trends. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recorded 1,676 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Saturday, according to the COVID Interactive Data Dashboard."

– "Nearly one-third of inmates at Norfolk County jail have been vaccinated against COVID, sheriff says," by David Linton, Sun Chronicle: "Almost a third of the inmates at the Dedham House of Corrections have been vaccinated, according to the Norfolk County Sheriff's office. 'Currently, of the inmates able to take the vaccine, we have had 105 who have accepted, which is approximately 30 percent of our population,' Sheriff Patrick McDermott said."

– "Somerset neighbors band together against increased activity at Brayton Point site," by Charles Winokoor, The Herald News: "There's no love lost between the owners of the former Brayton Point Power Station and residents living in the nearby neighborhood."

MEDIA MATTERS

– "More telegram.com content will be available exclusively to subscribers," Telegram & Gazette. Link.

TRANSITIONS – Ana Vivas is leaving her role as deputy press secretary to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, to become press secretary to House Speaker Ron Mariano. Former Speaker Robert DeLeo aides John Walsh and Whitney Dow Ferguson will serve as Mariano's chief of staff and deputy chief of staff, respectively.

– Marcela Garcia was promoted to a regular Boston Globe Opinion columnist. Tweet.

– Samuel Gebru joins the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts as director of policy & public affairs. Tweet.

– Rowan Walrath is taking over the life sciences beat at the Boston Business Journal, after serving as associate editor at BostInno. Link.

ENGAGED! – CNN's Lauren Dezenski, a Massachusetts Playbook alum, got engaged to Michael Heifetz at Copper Mountain in Colorado. Tweet.

REMEMBERING LOUIS W. CABOT … via the Boston Globe: "A former president and chairman of Cabot Corp., the specialty chemicals and materials company founded by his grandfather, Mr. Cabot died Friday of heart disease in his home in the Tenants Harbor village of St. George, Maine. He was 99 and also had lived in Sarasota, Fla." Link.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Elizabeth Warren alum Cassidy Ballard and Matt Keswick.

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