星期四, 4月 23, 2020
麻州COVID-19確診人數一日新高再破紀錄 3079
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| 麻州州長查理貝克報告疫情。(州長辦公室提供) |
麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie
Baker)表示，這些最新的一日新增確診，死亡人數十分驚人，而每一個數目背後都是一個真人，意味著又有一個家庭受病毒衝擊，才最教人難受。
春田市的灣州醫療中心董事長Nancy
L. Shendell-Falik和塔芙茨 (Tufts) 醫療中心董事長Michael
Apkon都說，在疫情期間，他們醫院連中風病人都依序減少了80%，60%。他們認為，一部分原因可能是很多人在這段時間都怕進醫院。
麻州州長查理貝克表示，這是很讓人困擾的一個趨勢。有心臟病，得洗腎，或者治療癌症等有急症，重症的人，還是應該去醫院看病，延誤病情，對身體傷害更大。他說麻州為疫情做的準備很充分，目前州內各醫院的18,000張病床，仍有將近一半可供一般病人使用。
查理貝克在今日的每日疫情匯報中表示，截至昨日為止，麻州政府已發放了550萬件個人防護用品給各醫院，頤養院，以及醫療護理機構，第一線工作人員。麻州昨日也收到20萬件檢測拭紙，將用來支援流動檢測項目，以及州內服務不足地區。
麻州做了病毒檢測的人數，現已累計至180,462人。
波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin
Walsh)在一個訪談節目中贊成麻省總醫院院長Peter L. Slavin博士的看法，表示不宜輕言”復工”。他認為要挺過疫情，恐怕還至少要4，5或6個星期。
麻省總醫院院長Peter
L. Slavin博士表示，該院十分幸運，目前醫護用品還夠用，也經常收到社區大眾捐贈醫護用品，感到十分溫暖，但是和很多其他醫療機構一樣，最缺的是醫生罩袍。
根據約翰霍普金斯大學的數據，截至4月23日，全世界的新型冠狀病毒確診人數已高達270餘萬人，死亡人數也已累計至190,490。美國的確診總數為866,646，死亡人數49,759。
麻州在4月22日公佈了各市鎮的確診人數，以絕對人數計，波士頓市的6744，高居第一位，其次為Brockton的1,763，Worcester的1,457，Chelsea的1,447，Lynn的1,387，Lowell的1,235，Lawrence的1,205，共7個城市有逾千人確診。
較多華人聚居的城市，確診人數分別為，昆士市551，摩頓市560，劍橋市672，牛頓市499，艾克頓鎮(Acton)50，貝爾蒙鎮(Belmont)141，華森市(Waltham)542，衛斯理鎮(Wellesley)164，衛斯頓(Weston)66，安多福鎮(Andover)85。
死亡人數，波士頓市232，昆士市52，劍橋市35人，牛頓市58。
波士頓慈濟支援瑪莎葡萄園島4000個口罩
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| 4000個口罩運抵瑪莎葡萄園島。(慈濟波士頓聯絡處提供) |
在哈佛大學做華人慈善機構研究的學者Caroline Reeves，今年一月和家人決定從波士頓搭船到他家位於瑪莎葡萄園島的渡假屋暫住。為盡量減少對這人口不過15,000左右小島的衝擊，他們不但採買了夠用幾個月的食物，用品，還自我隔離了相當一段時間，才開始出門。
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| 4000個口罩運抵瑪莎葡萄園島。(慈濟波士頓聯絡處提供) |
居家閱報時，他們看到一則Chilmark市徵義工為耆英採買，運送個人防護用品的小廣告，Caroline Reeves的兩個小孩，分別是16歲和19歲的Daniel Lee 和Andrew Lee，馬上就行動了，一人開車，一人導航，合作無間的服務社區。
一天，Caroline Reeves在視頻會議中和台灣佛教慈濟基金會人文志業發展處主任何日生討論合作時，何日生說慈濟在波士頓也有分支機構，如果有哪些人，哪些機構需要幫助，歡迎她提供建議。Caroline Reeves的兩個小孩馬上就說，”有有有，瑪莎葡萄園島”。
慈濟波士頓聯絡處負責人長金滿隨後就接到何日生的電話，開始和Caroline Reeves透過電子郵件溝通。
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| 慈濟波士頓聯絡處捐出去的口罩。 (慈濟波士頓聯絡處提供) |
了解完瑪莎葡萄園島的需求，衡量慈濟波士頓聯絡處手邊的物資，以及求助名單後，波士頓醫療組確認了可以撥捐4000個口罩。但在這要求保持社交安全距離的疫情期間，怎麼把這批口罩送到瑪莎葡萄園島，又怎麼分送給最需要口罩的島民，變成一個大問題。
很快的Islander’s Help 透過Chilmark市志工協調員Delilah Meegan，找到Carroll’s Trucking這卡車公司，才終於在4月22日，把4000個口罩運到了歷任美國總統都愛在這兒渡假的瑪莎葡萄園島(Martha's
Vineyard )。當地記者知道台灣慈濟發送口罩過來的消息，很快聯繫上波士頓聯絡處，做了一篇採訪當天在當地傳發。https://www.mvtimes.com/2020/04/20/one-island-another/
在疫情期間，一切零接觸，藉著輾轉打電話，互通電郵的聯繫，竟然也圓滿完成了這捐贈任務。波士頓慈濟人形容這是善心大德發揮感染力，讓大愛零距離! (文:周菊子，圖: Caroline Reeves)
MBTA傳103名員工COVID-19確診
(Boston Orange編譯)麻州灣公路局(MBTA)今(23)日證實有103名員工新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)確診。
其中包括52名巴士司機，4名地鐵員工，5名電車(Trolley)員工。
從疫情開始迄今，MBTA已有一名員工死亡，6名員工確診後痊癒。
MBTA表示，正在設法為員工提供更多保護，已發給他們口罩，消毒液，護目鏡，手套等個人防護用品。MBTA也會和工會合作，找更多方法保護員工。
MBTA的員工可以到為第一線工作人員安排的Gillette體育館做COVID-19病毒檢測。平均來說，每天有大約30名MBTA員工到Foxboro那兒檢測。
MBTA在一份聲明中還說，他們也在10幾個巴士及地鐵站量員工們的體溫。任何人的體溫高於華氏100度，MBTA就會要求他們馬上離開，並和員工的醫療護理提供者聯絡。
MBTA將繼續保持要求乘客從後門上車的做法，並持續消毒所有車輛。
波士頓台灣抗疫團隊送出1000個布口罩給MBTA員工
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| 左起，林致中，藍凡耘和波士頓經文處副領事王麗芬(右)送布口罩給MBTA。 (波士頓台灣抗疫團隊堤供) |
(Boston Orange)波士頓台灣抗疫團隊再出發，4月21日拜會麻州灣交通局(MBTA)，捐贈1000個布口罩，向不顧自身安危，為民眾提供交通服務的公車司機，維修人員致敬，為保護他們的安全略盡棉力。
波士頓台灣抗疫團隊代表林致中，藍凡耘，以及波士頓經文處副領事王麗芬這天代表許多不分日夜縫製口罩的義工們，一起把布口罩送到MBTA的Everett站，由MBTA的資深主任Dan
Barton和副主任Paul Flynn代表接受。
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| 波士頓台灣抗疫團隊還特地製作了一張這樣的圖表，教MBTA員工怎樣正確戴布口罩。 (林致中提供) |
波士頓環球報在4月10日的報導中指出，約有6385名員工，其中至少有2,683人為駕駛的MBTA，已有53人確診，其中包括29名巴士司機，2名地鐵駕駛，2名電車駕駛。
根據MBTA發言人Joe Pesaturo，有2人因感染COVID-19而逝世。波士頓駕駛員本地工會589則宣佈了57歲，住在昆士市，1998年就加入了MBTA的Southampton停車場檢驗員Andrew Wong過世了。
MBTA總經理Steve Poftak因此宣佈了將在巴士，電車等交通工具上設置臨時障礙，隔開駕駛與乘客的措施，藉以增加員工的安全保障。
HUD awards $1.5 million in funding to support COVID-19-related fair housing activities Submitted
HUD awards $1.5 million in funding to support COVID-19-related fair housing activities Submitted
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday announced it is awarding $1.5 million in Partnership and Special Enforcement Effort funds to HUD Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies to support COVID-19 education activities. The funds are being provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) of 2020, which President Donald Trump signed into law to provide federal agencies with the resources needed to combat COVID-19.
“The Fair Housing Act embodies the spirit of this great nation where everyone is entitled to equal opportunity and respect,” Secretary Ben Carson said. “As we battle this invisible enemy, we need to be attentive to the heightened protections and needs of family, friends and neighbors who are older, have disabilities, or pre-existing medical conditions. We also need to honor and support, not evict out of fear, the medical professionals and caregivers who selflessly go to the front line to serve and heal. We must be creative and compassionate to keep each other safely sheltered, healthy and prepared. Right now, in the spirit of fair housing, we need to be the best neighbors we can be for one another.”
“Addressing potential fair housing issues related to COVID-19 will require resources that extend beyond the federal government,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity. “FHAP agencies not only have expertise in conducting a range of fair housing enforcement activities, they are especially attuned to how particular issues are affecting their communities.”
Partnership funds allow FHAP agencies to utilize the services of individuals and/or public, private, for-profit, or not-for-profit organizations that have expertise in enforcing federal, state and local fair housing laws. Similarly, special enforcement effort funds enhance the fair housing enforcement activities of FHAP agencies.
“New York and New Jersey are the epicenters of COVID-19 in the entire nation. Both states have extremely diverse populations already vulnerable to discrimination in housing,” said Lynne Patton, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “It’s imperative that local fair housing organizations in our region apply and take advantage of this additional funding provided by HUD to eliminate any potential victimization of residents during this difficult time.”
Examples of fundable activities include: Partnering with grassroots, faith-based or other community-based organizations to conduct COVID-19-related education and outreach to people of different backgrounds on how to live together peacefully in the same housing complex, neighborhood or community; or procurement and/or development of up-to-date or advanced technology to do COVID-19 related education and outreach using online platforms and social media.
HUD will issue detailed instructions to agencies regarding the availability of funds and process for application. FHAP agencies are state and local agencies that enforce state and local laws that are substantially equivalent to the federal Fair Housing Act. Currently, there are approximately 75 FHAP agencies operating throughout the nation.
Persons who believe they have experienced housing discrimination may file a complaint of discrimination by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at 800-669-9777
or visiting “How to File a Complaint” on HUD’s website. Materials and assistance are available for persons with limited English proficiency. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the department using the federal relay service at 800-877-8339.
or visiting “How to File a Complaint” on HUD’s website. Materials and assistance are available for persons with limited English proficiency. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the department using the federal relay service at 800-877-8339.星期三, 4月 22, 2020
聯邦紓困補助款 哈佛大學不拿了
(Boston Orange編譯) 聯邦紓困方案旨在幫助小企業度過難關，結果小企業還沒拿到錢，3490億元經費已經用光了，然後有人發現不少大機構已領得超過千萬元，引出一片韃伐聲。美國總統川普也拿哈佛大學當箭靶，揚言要追回860萬元撥款。
哈佛大學今(22)日立即發表聲明，澄清聯邦政府CARES法案的高等教育緊急救濟基金，分配給哈佛大學一筆款項，哈佛大學既沒有申請，索要，也沒有收到這筆款項。
現在哈佛決定不去要，也不接受聯邦政府已經分配給該校的款項，同時仍會繼續支援有需要的學生。
根據聯邦政府CARES法案高等教育緊急救濟基金的收款名單，新英格蘭有不少學校分配到的款額，其實比哈佛大學還多，包括波士頓大學1500萬元，東北大學1160萬元。
新英格蘭地區的其他常春藤學校，達特茅斯學院(Dartmouth
College)分配到3400萬元，布朗大學480萬元，耶魯大學680萬元。
分配款項的公式，是以每所學校經由貝爾獎金(Pell
Grants)領取聯邦政府財務援助的低收入學生數目，以及整所學校的註冊學生數目來計算。
美國財政部長Steve
Mnuchin表示，全美有100萬家員工人數在10人以下的公司，以及一些大公司，已經收到補助貸款。其中以漢堡、奶昔聞名的連鎖餐廳Shake Shack，已經表態要退還該公司收到的1000萬元補助款。
4月21日時，臉書上有人貼文，稱讚Shake Shack表示要退還政府發給的1000萬元紓困金。然後馬上有人指出，其實該公司在被人批評後，才說要退，接著有網友繼續稱讚，說這總比那些默默把錢收下，當作什麼事都沒發生過的大企業好。
COVID-19 Rate for Latinx and Black Residents Three Times That of White Residents, According to New Analysis
COVID-19 Rate for Latinx and Black Residents Three Times That of
White Residents, According to New Analysis
Despite Progress, State-Reported Data Obscure Inequities and Hinder Action
Despite Progress, State-Reported Data Obscure Inequities and Hinder Action
Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Public Health
Association (MPHA) today released an updated analysis of state COVID-19 data,
showing that, per capita, cases for Latinx residents are more than three times
that of White residents, while per capita cases for Black residents are more
than two-and-a-half times that of White residents.
“While
there are still gaps in the data that should be addressed, we have enough data
to say with a high degree of confidence that Black and Latinx residents of
Massachusetts are suffering from COVID-19 infections at rates far higher than
Whites,” said Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts
Public Health Association. “The Baker Administration should release
data in a way that makes this reality clear, and more importantly, should act
aggressively and urgently to address these staggering inequities.”
“We’ve long known that people of
color are more vulnerable to illness and disease because of the social
determinants of health—jobs, housing, access to preventative health care. Now
that these inequities are clear for all to see, we need and expect action from
state government,” said Helena DaSilva Hughes, Executive Director of
the Immigrants Assistance Center. “We all want fresh, affordable seafood
from the legendary fish houses of New Bedford, but look who makes that
possible—mostly black and brown people who are “essential workers” but who
don’t get paid sick leave and whose wages aren’t enough for anything but shared
and crowded living spaces. We must act now to ensure that all people have
access to safety during the pandemic and equal
opportunities for health afterwards.”
“The
public release of clear and transparent demographic data is essential
if Massachusetts' public health interests are to make meaningful and rapid
progress in fully addressing this pandemic crisis.” said Juan Cofield,
President, NAACP, New England Area Conference. “Such data will better
inform the communities most affected and it will be instructive of their need
to implore better protective measures. Additionally, it will provide a
road map for all to understand where more resources are needed to eliminate the
pandemic crisis.”
Clear
and transparent data is critical for environmental justice communities like
Chelsea to advocate for themselves, organize and create change,” said Maria
Belén Power, Associate Executive Director at GreenRoots. “It is no surprise
or mystery that Latinx, Black and Brown communities are suffering at
disproportionate rates. The class and racial disparities and inequities have
existed for decades and generations, COVID19 has only exacerbated them and exposed
them.
Last week, the Task Force on
Coronavirus and Equity, coordinated by MPHA, called for better public data
and action plan on inequities in COVID-19 impact, and has previously called on the Legislature,
Attorney General, and Governor to take a series of actions to address equity in
the face of the outbreak.
The
analysis from MPHA uses data beginning April 8th (the day of
the Public Health Order requiring collection of race/ethnicity data) and
calculates per capita rates for each racial/ethnic group. Although a
considerable number of reported cases are missing race/ethnicity, the
differences between the per capita rates for cases in which race/ethnicity is
recorded reveal serious inequities that are likely to persist as additional
data is collected. Per capita cases among Asian residents appear to be
approximately 60% that of White cases, according to the analysis. However, data
do not allow an analysis of variability between subgroups of Asian residents,
which likely conceal inequities among some subgroups.
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