IT’S NO SECRET that the coronavirus is not evenly spread across Massachusetts. New statistics released Wednesday confirmed that Chelsea remains a hotspot of the virus, with the most cases per capita. Brockton […]
Health
Posted inThe Download
What makes a COVID-19 hotspot?
It’s no secret that the coronavirus is not evenly spread across Massachusetts. New statistics released Wednesday confirmed that Chelsea remains a hotspot of the virus, with the most cases per capita. […]
Posted inHealth Care
Life on the coronavirus plateau
MASSACHUSETTS OFFICIALS are starting to plan for a “new normal,” but the coronavirus is acting as if it’s not going away. Statistics released on Wednesday indicate the surge is now […]
Posted inOpinion
Examining COVID-19 gender differences
THE STATE’S DASHBOARD of COVID-19 statistics indicates that deaths from the virus are split evenly between men and women, which is surprising given that in most other states and countries […]
Posted inEconomy
Developing a playbook for reopening
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, Senate President Karen Spilka is trying to wrap her head around the idea of reopening the state’s comatose economy. In a speech delivered virtually to the Greater […]
Posted inUncategorized
Virus notes: Baker questions antibody testing accuracy, utility
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER threw up a caution flag on Monday on the rush test people for coronavirus antibodies. Along with urgent efforts to expand testing for the coronavirus, public health […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker sees a plateau in hospitalizations
THERE IS JUST ONE WEEK left until Gov. Charlie Baker’s order shuttering all non-essential businesses expires, and the governor still isn’t saying what will happen next. At his daily press […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker gives nursing homes $130 million – with strings
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER announced Monday that the state will give nursing homes another $130 million to help them respond to the coronavirus outbreak, but will require the facilities to adhere […]
Posted inEconomy
UPDATED NUMBERS: Baker leaves ‘reopening’ door open
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Saturday declined to say whether the state will begin reopening on May 4, but he didn’t rule it out. On a visit to a Cartamundi/Hasbro manufacturing […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker holds out hope on reopening
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER appears to be still holding out hope that he could start reopening the state on May 4, even though time is running short for that to happen. […]
Posted inHealth Care
State doing baseline COVID-19 testing at nursing homes
THE HEAD OF THE MASSACHUSETTS COVID-19 command center said she has dramatically stepped up testing at the state’s nursing homes and wants to test all residents and employees as quickly […]
Posted inUncategorized
Bharel draws on personal experience with COVID-19
DR. MONICA BHAREL, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, was leading the state’s defense against the coronavirus when she learned an important lesson: no one is immune from the disease. Rejoining […]
Posted inHealth Care
Nurse frustrated with mask directives
MARK BRODEUR loves his work as an intensive care and emergency room nurse at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, but he is frustrated by directives coming from administrators on how […]
Posted inHealth Care
Virus notes: Biggest one-day jump in new cases
TWO OF THE KEY INDICATORS for determining whether the state is nearing the end of its COVID-19 surge sent conflicting signals on Thursday, as hospitalizations declined slightly while new cases […]
Posted inHealth Care
COVID-19 fear keeping ill people away from ERs
A TRIO OF HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES joined Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday to warn against an alarming new trend – people with serious medical conditions staying away from hospitals out of […]
Posted inOpinion
Dr. Lee: We’re busy but in good shape
This is the seventh conversation between Dr. Jarone Lee, a frontline critical care and emergency physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Paul […]
Posted inHealth Care
Sudders: Deaths common at nursing homes
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S point person on COVID-19 tried to provide some context on Wednesday for the rising number of deaths at nursing homes. Marylou Sudders, the secretary of health and […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker hints at ‘rules of road’ for reopening
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER indicated on Wednesday that some of the state’s businesses could begin reopening after the COVID-19 surge concludes as long as they comply with rules his administration is […]
Posted inEconomy
Deferred dreams for black, brown business owners
MIGUEL VARGAS runs the Bajucol Dance Studio in East Boston, a business out of step with the social distancing required to fend off COVID-19. The two-year-old enterprise shut down in March. Vargas has tried hosting classes online, but few customers have […]
Posted inHealth Care
Oops, nursing home COVID-19 deaths omitted
IN CREATING A NEW DASHBOARD for the state’s war on COVID-19, key information on one of the so-far losing battles was inadvertently dropped on Monday. Deaths at long-term care facilities, […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker: We’re in the 3d or 4th quarter
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Tuesday indicated the state is nearing the end of the COVID-19 surge, but he implored the people of Massachusetts not to pull back on social distancing. […]
Posted inEducation
Baker closes schools for the rest of the year
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Tuesday ordered all schools to remain closed for the rest of the school year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Baker called the decision the “right thing […]
Posted inHealth Care
Surge status: Mixed reviews
ON THE FINAL DAY of the COVID-19 surge projected by the Baker administration, the number of new cases dropped for the fourth day in a row and hospitalizations remained manageable. […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker accused of misplaced COVID-19 priorities
TWO LEADING OFFICIALS in the state’s nursing home industry said on the Codcast that the Baker administration focused too much attention in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis on […]
