You’ve had too much screen time on Zoom and Netflix. The tree is decorated, and daily Facetimes with the family have lapsed. Maybe you think it’s a good time to invite your neighbors over onto the porch.
But wait. It’s freezing out, why not let them inside for a bit, share the fruits of this morning’s baking frenzy? You’ll keep your masks on (most of the time), and you’ve only been to Trader Joe’s once this week.
Don’t do it.
Most people are understandably starting to get “COVID fatigue,” and may be excited about the headlines indicating major drug companies like Moderna and Pfizer are seeking emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccines from the US Food and Drug Administration. But the vaccine is still too far into the future to have an immediate impact on the expected surge of COVID-19 cases for the holidays, and the deaths that will follow.
Massachusetts public health officials reported 4,613 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the largest single day total since the pandemic began.
Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday the first doses of a vaccine are weeks away from arriving in Massachusetts, and most likely won’t be available to the general public until the spring.
Massachusetts has seen nowhere near the amount of deaths it saw in the early spring, but it also hasn’t seen confirmed cases climbing this high in the past few months. There are other hurdles. Winter has arrived, and more people are gathering indoors and becoming lax about their precautions, like wearing masks and social distancing.
People recently infected with the virus might also start taking liberties with the blessing of the feds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have chosen to loosen restrictions on how long an individual must quarantine after being exposed to the virus, from 14 days to 7 or 10 days. That’s because scientists think people are most infectious in the first week of illness.
But another major part of that decision is reducing financial difficulties for people who might be out of work while they’re sick, according to Dr. Henry Walke, incident manager for the CDC’s COVID-19 response.
“Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier to take this critical public health action by reducing the economic hardship associated with a longer period, especially if they cannot work during that time,” he said Wednesday.
There is still no solid economic stimulus plan from Congress that would ease the financial concerns of any workers hit hard by the virus who might want to get back to work sooner. It’s highly unlikely that Congress will approve another round of $1,200 checks before President-elect Biden takes office–the relief no longer exists in the three coronavirus packages being considered.
With the economic woes of former shutdowns in mind, Baker said Tuesday there are no plans to implement closures or restrictions to stem the spread, which means testing, tracing, bolstering emergency care systems, and public vigilance will be key.
Contact tracing issues have cropped up. There are testing deserts where no state-funded free test sites exist in areas of Massachusetts with rising case counts, and people are wary of out-of-pocket costs. The field hospitals are ready. The biggest wild card of all may end up being the bored person who just wants social interaction, and the decision they make next.
SARAH BETANCOURT
FROM COMMONWEALTH
A defendant appeals to the Supreme Judicial Court, claiming he is entitled to an in-person, not a virtual, day in court.
Public school enrollment is down but not uniformly. Charter schools and voc tech schools have seen an enrollment increase.
The Department of Correction files court documents indicating only 54 prisoners out of 6,700 could qualify for a home confinement program.
A survey conducted by the MassINC Polling Group on behalf of the Barr Foundation shows little support for MBTA service cuts.
Opinion: Christopher Gilrein of TechNet says Massachusetts should follow California’s lead on independent contractors.
FROM AROUND THE WEB
BEACON HILL
The police reform bill passed by the Legislature is now in the hands of Gov. Charlie Baker, who must sign it, return it with amendments, or veto the sweeping measure. (Boston Herald) Joan Vennochi says it will be a stark test for the usually compromise-seeking governor, who must now stand on the side of reform or police unions. (Boston Globe) State Rep. Patrick Kearney decries the closed-door process that gave legislators less than 24 hours to review the 129-page bill before voting on it. (Boston Globe)
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
Worcester is taking a new look at how to deal with homelessness this winter, amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. (Telegram & Gazette)
HEALTH/HEALTH CARE
With COVID-19 test sites swamped in many parts of the state, Rep. Mindy Domb calls on Gov. Charlie Baker to use the National Guard to set up free testing sites in every county. (Daily Hampshire Gazette) Springfield city councilors are asking Gov. Charlie Baker to pay more attention to Western Massachusetts when it comes to COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution. (MassLive)
Health experts are beginning to question the effectiveness of wide scale contact tracing efforts – — which the state has spent millions of dollars on — to combat the pandemic. (Boston Globe)
Many of the state’s smaller hospitals don’t have the ultra-cold freezers needed to store Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. (MassLive)
WASHINGTON/NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
Former president Barack Obama’s comments that “snappy” slogans like “defund the police” are counterproductive to reform efforts is drawing strong blowback from the left, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who said she is “out of patience with critiques of the language of activists.” (Boston Herald)
ELECTIONS
Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley says he won’t seek reelection next year after five terms in the Jamaica Plain-West Roxbury district council seat. (Boston Globe)
A Florida attorney said he is moving to Georgia to vote in the Senate runoff elections for the Republican candidates and encourages others to do the same. (WSB-TV Atlanta)
Washington Post headline: “Trump escalates baseless attacks on election with 46-minute video rant.”
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
More than half of the federal Paycheck Protection Program money received in Massachusetts went to fewer than 5 percent of loan recipients, as large companies swept up the bulk of the funding. (Boston Globe)
The National Labor Relations Board says Google illegally fired two workers who were seeking to form a union. (NPR)
A group of states led by New York is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook next week. (Reuters) In Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey is going to the state’s highest court in pursuit of Facebook documents on misuse of personal data. (CommonWealth)
Homebuying, which has been taking place at an accelerated rate during the pandemic, may never look the same as it did pre-COVID. (New York Times)
EDUCATION
With COVID cases surging, school superintendents are wary of the urgings by Gov. Charlie Baker and education commissioner Jeff Riley to keep schools open. (Boston Globe) According to the latest state statistics, 77 percent of school districts have some form of in-person learning while 23 percent are fully remote. About 75 people protested outside Boston City Hall, calling for schools to reopen. (Boston Herald) (MassLive) Lynnfield schools shift to all remote after a student contracts COVID-19 from a teacher. (Daily Item)
The state has deployed its rapid mobile testing unit to schools with COVID-19 clusters, including some in Malden, Billerica, and Winchester. (GBH)
Brockton, which has the fifth-largest school district in Massachusetts, is moving toward bringing special education students back in-person in the new year, following a hybrid model of learning. (The Enterprise)
TRANSPORTATION
West Gloucester residents are still complaining about noise from idling trains, even after the MBTA took steps to address the problem. (Gloucester Daily Times)
A new survey from the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce suggests there would be demand if Worcester Regional Airport resumes commercial flights – especially if there were nonstop flights to Florida. (Telegram & Gazette)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS
GBH reports Boston attorney Rosemary Scapicchio is filing for a new trial for Sean Ellis to clear her client of a gun conviction that remains even after his conviction in the 1993 murder of Boston Police detective was overturned after he spent more than 22 years in jail.
Attorney General Maura Healey is suing a Marshfield real estate company and broker accused of discriminating against a disabled man receiving housing assistance. (Patriot Ledger)
The Department of Correction will set up mobile license plate readers at its jails and prisons that will capture information about visitors and other cars going to their facilities. (DigBoston)
The Governor’s Council hears mostly positive testimony about SJC nominee and Boston Municipal Court judge Serge Georges at his confirmation hearing, with backers saying Georges would bring needed District Court experience to the high court. (MassLive)
MEDIA
The Taunton Gazette’s newsroom is closing permanently and more than a dozen local journalists have taken buyouts, as cost-cutting measures at Gannett hurt local papers. (Boston Business Journal)