Merrimack Valley Magazine

Mass. Community Colleges Announce Vaccine Requirement

September 20, 2021 by Digital Manager

The presidents of the Massachusetts community colleges announced today that students, faculty, and staff at the commonwealth’s 15 community colleges must be fully vaccinated by January 2022.

The announcement comes amid a rise in the number of new cases of COVID-19 across the commonwealth, the increased access and availability of vaccines, the Food & Drug Administration’s full and pending approval of available vaccines, and CDC guidance that the COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to be extremely safe and highly effective at preventing infection, severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

Students who seek to register for courses that do not include any in-person component, and who do not plan to come on campus for any reason for the spring 2022 semester, will not be required to provide documentation of vaccination. All employees will be required to be vaccinated.

Baker Exploring “Important” Vaccine Verification Options

September 17, 2021 by State House News Service

Admin Talking With States About Their Experiences

by Colin A. Young

It will be important for people to have a simple way to prove that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday as he stopped just short of saying that some kind of vaccination verification system will be coming to Massachusetts.

With about two-thirds of the workforce soon to be impacted by a federal vaccination-or-testing mandate, a growing number of venues requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result to enter, and with the market for phony vaccine cards exploding, some states like New York and Minnesota have launched free and voluntary platforms to provide digital and authentic proof that the user has either been vaccinated or has tested negative.

“We’ve been talking to the states that have developed this and it’s certainly something that,” Baker said, slamming on the brakes mid-sentence during an appearance on GBH Radio. “I mean, I just happen to think that getting to the point where there’s a relatively simple process for people to credential the fact that they’ve been vaccinated will be important for a whole bunch of reasons.”

The governor pointed out to co-hosts Margery Eagan and Jim Braude that people in Massachusetts can get vaccine verification or a credential from the provider who administered the vaccine.

“But obviously, there are states and municipalities that have done something more universal than that and we’ve been talking to those folks and working through how that would work here in the commonwealth,” the governor said.

Baker did not take the bait when Braude said that it sounded likely that Massachusetts is “going to have such a thing at some point.”

“I certainly think it’s going to be an important thing for people to have,” he said. “But again, you can validate and verify that you’ve been vaccinated right now.”

When President Joe Biden announced on Sept. 9 that the federal government will soon require companies with 100 or more workers to mandate that their employees either be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing, it sent the illicit market for forged U.S. Centers for Disease Control vaccination cards soaring.

The price of a fake vaccination card with a CDC logo jumped from $100 to $200 right after Biden’s announcement and the number of people in a group on the social messaging app Telegram dedicated to the forgeries rose from 30,000 to more than 300,000, according to Check Point Software Technologies. In August, there were about 1,000 vendors offering fake vaccination cards on Telegram, the company said, and now there are more than 10,000.

“The growth of the black market for fake vaccination cards has been exponential,” Ekram Ahmed, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity firm that studies the illicit market, told Pew Charitable Trusts’ Stateline publication. “Our expectation is that the black market for fake coronavirus vaccination cards will continue to thrive as more policy requiring vaccination proof gets rolled out.”

Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, now U.S. secretary of labor, is overseeing the drafting of Biden’s mandate. Asked about the forthcoming federal policy Thursday, Baker said that he was hesitant to comment.

“I’m obviously a big fan of people getting vaccinated and I’m obviously comfortable with employers creating programming for their own people to get vaccinated … But we have not seen yet any details on what this looks like,” he said. “At this point, it’s commenting on a press release and speech, and for something that is as significant, widespread and as complicated as this, I would really like to see how they think this would work, who qualifies, who doesn’t, what the rules are and all the rest.”

The governor was similarly non-committal when asked about the possibility of requiring vaccination for Massachusetts school students, though he suggested that having a vaccine secure final FDA approval for use in younger people could be a key factor in his thinking. In Los Angeles, district officials on Thursday voted unanimously in favor of a policy that requires eligible students (currently those 12 or older) to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Keep in mind that we don’t have any ability to vaccinate anybody who is under the age of 12 yet and there’s some discussion about when that might happen. We also won’t have, for kids under the age of 16, I think, a final approval on a vaccine at this point in time. Pfizer’s approved for, I think, for 16 and up as a final approval but we’re still working under emergency use authorizations below that. And Moderna doesn’t have a final approval at all, it’s still an emergency use authorization,” the governor said.

Baker added, “I think it’s important, when you don’t have sort of a final signoff from the feds, to be careful about how you think about this stuff.”

Asked directly whether he would consider mandating vaccines for students for whom final FDA approval has been granted, Baker said neither yes nor no.

“You know, I don’t know when those things are going to happen, Jim. So in the meantime, I’d rather just focus on trying to get more kids vaccinated in those communities with the rules and the standards and the processes and procedures that we have in place currently,” the governor said.

MCC To Run Vaccination Clinics on Campus Open to Community

September 10, 2021 by Merrimack Valley Magazine

Middlesex Community College (MCC), looking to provide students, faculty, staff and community members with access to the COVID-19 vaccine, announced that the college will run two vaccination clinics on Monday, Sept. 13 and Friday, Sept. 17.

Both clinics will run 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the college’s campus in Lowell. On Monday, Sept. 13, the clinic will take place in MCC’s Federal building and on Friday, Sept. 17, it will be in the college’s Talbot building.

MCC supports the White House in sharing informed and scientific facts about the vaccine and all of the ways that getting a shot helps in the fight against COVID-19. With COVID-19 numbers continuing to rise in Massachusetts due to the Delta variant, doctors and scientists are encouraging people 12 years of age and older to get their shot to help control infections within the community.

In the summer, MCC teamed up with Lowell TeleMedia Center (LTC) to film a series of PSAs about the vaccine featuring MCC students speaking in their first languages to reach a wide audience. The college also jumpstarted a “Caring for the Community” social media campaign with faculty, staff and alumni sharing the reasons why they got vaccinated.

MCC’s Talbot building is located at 44 Middle Street in Lowell. The Federal building is at 50 Kearney Square in Lowell. Upon arriving for their appointment, community members are asked to wear a mask that covers their noses and mouths at all times while inside the building. They should also expect to wait up to 15 minutes after receiving their vaccination.

Visit here to register for a shot at MCC’s COVID-19 one-day vaccination clinic.

State Council Approves Caregiver Vaccine Mandate Expansion

September 9, 2021 by Kristin Cole

By: Katie Lannan

The Baker administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for home care workers and staff at rest homes, assisted living residences and hospice programs got a green light Wednesday from the Public Health Council, which unanimously approved regulatory changes to implement the requirements.

The regulations were approved on an emergency basis and will be subject to a public comment period.

Introducing the measures to the council, the Department of Public Health’s Marita Callahan described caregiver vaccinations as “critical” to protecting the health of vulnerable individuals.

The Baker administration announced last week that it would seek the council’s approval to extend an existing vaccine mandate on certain long-term care staff to include additional caregivers and facilities, in an effort to protect older people from COVID-19.

Council member Mary Moscato, the president of Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Services and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, described the mandates as a step that “really does protect our seniors and patients.”

The policy will apply to up to 100,000 home care workers, 62 freestanding rest homes, 85 hospice programs and 268 assisted living residences, according to the administration. The affected workforce will have until Oct. 31 to get vaccinated, unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption.

Kathleen Carey, a professor of health economics at the Boston University School of Public Health, said the state should keep an eye on the mandates’ potential impact on staffing levels. She said there have been cases nationally of hospital staffing shortages that have been “somewhat exacerbated” by vaccination requirements.

The council also voted 9-4 to finalize the repeal of universal mask mandate regulations that are no longer in effect.

The council repealed those regulations on an emergency basis in June, and since then some members have raised concerns around the message it would send to formally strike the mask rules while the more infectious Delta variant has led to increased spread of the coronavirus.

The widespread masking mandate in place in Massachusetts earlier in the pandemic has been replaced by an advisory for people to wear masks in indoor public places if they or someone in their household is vulnerable to the disease, along with targeted mandates applying to specific settings like schools, transit and health care settings.

“I don’t think we’re really protecting the public to the full extent if we have a piecemeal, incremental approach,” said Dr. Edward Bernstein, an emergency medicine professor at the BU medical school.

He said dynamics around the virus have changed since the June vote.

Bernstein said he was voting no “until we have something in place that proposes masking in all public spaces where you can’t maintain distance,” and Lisette Blondet, director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers, said she cast her vote against the repeal “in order to protect the entire state population.”

Blondet said that she lives on Cape Cod, where there is a large senior population, and that she sees most other shoppers unmasked when she goes to the grocery store now that face coverings are not mandated.

“We are making decisions based on what’s true for the entire state and leaving out pockets of very, very vulnerable populations who are very confused, and I think that repealing these regulations will continue to leave these people out, will fail to protect the public the way I feel we are charged to do,” she said.

Dr. Larry Madoff, the medical director for the DPH Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, said the state’s current policy “normalizes mask-wearing” by requiring or recommending it in many situations. He said the state is “balancing risks and incentives” while keeping the importance of protecting the vulnerable “paramount in our thinking.”

“We think that the incentive for the unvaccinated to get vaccinated so that they are no longer recommended for mask-wearing in most situations is really an important component of our strategy to maximize vaccination and to maximize the protection of the community and those most vulnerable,” he said.

DPH staff said they would continue to monitor the data around COVID-19, and that the official repeal of the prior regulations would not prevent them from bringing forward any new precautionary measures in the future.

State epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown said evaluating that data will be particularly important as the seasons change and temperatures drop.

“As people come indoors, we’re really going to have to watch and see what happens,” she said. “We absolutely need to continue to monitor the data, literally on a daily basis, and to adjust and adapt the recommendations and requirements as needed.”

Wellness Wednesday – 8/18/21

August 18, 2021 by Kristin Cole

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Travels to Local Health Centers to Encourage Vaccinations

On Tuesday, Aug. 17, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra traveled to the Merrimack Valley to engage with local health centers, highlighting the fight for health equity and the Biden-Harris administration’s progress vaccinating vulnerable communities. Becerra’s first stop was at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC), where he joined U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, GLFHC President and CEO Guy Fish, Mass. Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders for a tour and a roundtable discussion.

While remarking on how the GLFHC felt “like home,” Becerra applauded the work of the GLFHC and emphasized the important role of community health centers. The roundtable discussed the GLFHC’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and health equity as it pertains to promoting access to necessary health services — namely telehealth — in low-income communities.

“Institutions like [the GLFHC], are indispensable in making sure we have healthy families,” Becerra said. “It is great when you walk into a facility like this, and you know they are dispensing life saving care, but you feel like you’re at home. Everyone should have a medical home.”

In a Q&A discussion following the roundtable, Becerra was asked about the third booster shot that has been widely discussed in the media reports since the FDA approved a booster shot for certain immunocompromised individuals. Becerra stood by the FDA’s current guidelines and reiterated that the federal government “will be guided by the science” and “what the medical experts are telling us.”

When asked about increasing the vaccination rate, Becerra said: “We are going to continue to go where Americans are and, for those who have not yet been vaccinated, we’re there. We want to reach you and we will work with great institutions like [the GLFHC]. … We want people to know that if you are prepared to get the vaccinations … it’s going to be available.”

Becerra also toured Lowell General Hospital, following his tour with a discussion of the importance of getting vaccinated. He concluded his tour by holding a roundtable with UTEC Inc., an organization dedicated to reducing recidivism and supporting youth in Massachusetts.

Helpful Resources

After rearranging our lives for well over a year, news of the delta variant has been both stressful and disheartening, especially after things began to look up when vaccinations began rolling out. As we grapple with this new variant, many questions arise, especially for those who are vaccinated. Below are resources that may answer your questions about how to proceed in public safely as we prepare to transition into fall.

Did I already have COVID? Are you one of the many people who wonder if they had contracted COVID-19 and didn’t know it? You’re not alone. Check out this article that discusses possible signs that you may have already had the virus. According to the article, eye symptoms such as pink eye, dry eye, swelling and eye secretions may be post-COVID symptoms. Other “long haul” or lingering symptoms include chronic fatigue, trouble breathing, brain fog or cognitive impairment, chest, joint or muscle pain, and heart palpitations.

I’m vaccinated. Should I go out? Though vaccination numbers are on the rise, news of the delta variant is still encouraging people to proceed with caution. This Healthline article gathers advice from experts on going out in public when vaccinated. The article stresses that its important to assess your personal risk factors, the cases in your area, and whether or not you will be interacting with someone who is young or immunocompromised — for extra steps might be to necessary safeguard their health and minimize risks of contracting the virus.

The article also notes that if you are vaccinated and generally healthy (meaning you have no significant underlying medical conditions) activities such as eating out, hosting small gatherings, traveling and going to the movies are relatively safe. One important thing to note is that outdoor concerts and sporting events are considered much safer than indoor crowded events.

Will I need a booster? As noted in this article from the Wall Street Journal, the FDA approved vaccine booster shots for those with compromised immune systems. The article also notes that according to FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock, “other people who are fully vaccinated are adequately protected and don’t need an additional dose at this time. The agency is reviewing whether an additional dose may be needed.”

Will children be safe returning to school? In just a few weeks, the new school year will be underway. Read insight from experts on how the school year will look for students at Today.com. In general, practices like masking, washing hands, social distancing and staying home when ill have all proven to be helpful in creating a safe in-person learning environment. Click here for more information on Massachusetts-specific mask mandates and guidelines.

In times like these, even having a vaccination may not relieve pandemic-related anxiety. I highly recommend this article, “What to do if You’re Fully Vaccinated and Feeling Helpless Right Now.” It offers advice on interacting with unvaccinated individuals, setting boundaries for yourself, being flexible, and more.

For up-to-date information from experts, keep up with the CDC’s delta variant informational site, here. And remember that when venturing into public, it is important to make decisions based on your comfort level!

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GOOD READS

Healthy Barbecue. Just because it’s August, doesn’t mean that summer is over! Call your family and friends and fire up the grill and enjoy the last few week before fall sets in. Save this article for healthy alternatives for the ten most popular barbecue dishes. Included are alternatives to hamburgers, corn on the cob, potato salad, chips and dip, and more!

Plank Position. When it comes to exercising, most of us have a love-hate relationship with planking. Despite being a pretty demanding exercise, there are many benefits of planks that go beyond building core strength, such as improving posture, decreasing back pain, enhancing your balance, and more! Click here to learn more.

Roll Over. Are you a stomach or side sleeper? It might be beneficial to try sleeping on your back! According to Healthline, sleeping on your back may improve breathing, reduce back and neck pain, prevent wrinkles, decrease breakouts and puffiness, relieve sinuses and more.