Merrimack Valley Magazine

Baker Not Considering Remote Option Amid School Outbreak

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By: Matt Murphy

Melrose said this week, barely into the new school year, that it had quarantined at least two classrooms for a COVID-19 outbreak, but Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday a return to remote learning as an option for school districts is not under consideration.

“Schools have a certain number of days baked into their calendar that they are allowed to miss and I think our view at this point is in-person learning is where we should be and where we should stay, and anybody who isn’t vaccinated who’s eligible should get vaccinated and take advantage of these clinics we’ve put up,” Baker said.

Baker responded to questions about the situation in Melrose from Gloucester, where he was celebrating the opening of new lab space to be used to train people for jobs in marine and life sciences. The governor said his administration continues to work with school districts about how to respond to positive cases in schools, and encouraged schools to take advantage of the on-site vaccine clinics that the state has offered to set up for students and staff. More than 100 clinics in schools around the state are up and running through October, he said.

 

Melrose officials did not say how many students or staff had tested positive for COVID-19, if they were vaccinated, or specify the grade level of the classrooms that were put into quarantine. “As long as there are unvaccinated people in Massachusetts, there will be COVID cases,” Baker said.

The Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 5,484 new cases of COVID-19 over the long Labor Day weekend, and 4,415 cases over the past week in individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The newly-reported breakthrough cases raised the state’s total as of Sept. 4, to 23,858, or 0.53 percent of the 4.52 million fully vaccinated Bay Staters. Breakthrough infections have led to 762 hospitalizations and 162 deaths.

“When you have 5 million people at this point in time in Massachusetts who are basically vaccinated you can’t count cases anymore and assume that means hospitalizations and deaths. The vaccines work,” Baker said.

Merrimack Valley COVID-19 Update

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As the new school year gets underway, students and parents are adjusting to a statewide policy that calls for mask-wearing until at least October.

Under the policy adopted days before schools reopened, all public school staff and visitors must wear masks indoors through at least Oct. 1. Children under 5 are also recommended to wear masks.

Some students could be eligible for a medical exemption. Under the order, if a school has a vaccination rate of 80% or more on Oct. 1 when it is set to expire, a district could lift the mandate for those who are vaccinated.

Booster Shots Delayed

Meanwhile, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, reported on Sunday that he believes Pfizer vaccine booster shots will be available for a Sept. 20 target date, but Moderna shots will be delayed by a few weeks.

The Biden Administration had previously announced a plan to make third doses, or “booster shots,” of the COVID-19 vaccines available by the end of the month. The plan called for Americans, 18 and older, to get the third dose at least eight months after being fully immunized.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised the White House to scale back that recommendation, saying more data was needed.

 

In an appearance on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” Fauci said he believes delivery of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be able to start Sept. 20 for Americans who received Pfizer doses, while Moderna and Johnson & Johnson may take several weeks longer. He noted the plan is pending approval by the FDA.

Fauci said it is “conceivable” that for Moderna’s booster, there might be “at most a couple of weeks, a few weeks delay, if any,” while the company provides more data to the FDA on its efficacy.

On Aug. 23, the FDA granted approval to Pfizer’s vaccine for two doses for people 16 and older. Pfizer is the first to receive FDA approval as Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available under an emergency use authorization. For minors ages 12 to 15, Pfizer’s vaccine is still authorized for emergency use.

Currently, the CDC is recommending that individuals who are moderately or severely immuno-compromised receive the additional dose or the booster. That population is especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness, according to the CDC, and they may not build the same level of immunity to the two-dose vaccines as those with a healthy immune system.

Latest COVID-19 Numbers:

As of Tuesday, 5 p.m., the state’s COVID-19 statistics were as follows:

New Confirmed Cases             5,484

Total Confirmed Cases            720,175

Total Deaths                           18,298

Full Vaccinations                     4,531,700

COVID-19 Update: Baker-Polito Administration to Lift Restrictions

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On Monday, May 17, the Baker-Polito administration announced that the commonwealth is on track to meet the goal of vaccinating 4.1 million residents by the first week of June and all remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted effective May 29.

The commonwealth’s face covering order will also be rescinded on May 29. The Department of Public Health will issue a new face covering advisory consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance. Face coverings will still be mandatory for all individuals on public and private transportation systems (including rideshares, livery, taxi, ferries, MBTA, Commuter Rail and transportation stations), in health care facilities and in other settings hosting vulnerable populations, such as congregate care settings and health and rehabilitative day services.

Massachusetts is on track to meet the goal set in December to fully vaccinate over 4 million individuals by the first week of June. The commonwealth leads the nation in vaccinating residents, with 75% of adults receiving at least one dose. To date, over 4 million residents have received a first dose, with 3.2 million fully vaccinated.

New cases have dropped by 89% since January 8. COVID hospitalizations are down 88% since January 1 and the positive test rate is down by 88% from peaking at 8.7% on January 1 to 1% today.

Effective May 29, all industries will be permitted to open. With the exception of remaining face-covering requirements for public and private transportation systems and facilities housing vulnerable populations, all industry restrictions will be lifted, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries. The gathering limit will be rescinded.

In line with updated CDC face covering guidance, the administration will rescind the current face covering order and issue a new face covering advisory effective May 29.

Non-vaccinated individuals are advised to continue wearing face masks and to continue distancing in most settings. The advisory will also recommend fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a face covering or social distance indoors or outdoors except for in certain situations.

Face coverings will also remain required indoors for staff and students of K-12 schools and early education providers. Visit here for more details on mask requirements.

Effective May 18, the youth and amateur sports guidance will be updated to no longer require face coverings for youth athletes 18-and-under while playing outdoor sports. Effective May 29, all youth and amateur sports restrictions will be lifted. Visit here for details.

Effective May 18, guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Early Education and Care will be updated to no longer require masks for outdoor activities like recess and to allow for the sharing of objects in classrooms, in both K-12 and childcare settings. This guidance will remain in effect beyond May 29.

Gov. Baker will end the State of Emergency​ June 15, and the administration will work with legislative and municipal partners during this period in order to manage an orderly transition from emergency measures adopted by executive order and special legislation during the period of the State of Emergency.

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