MAYOR JANEY CALLS ON EVERSOURCE TO CANCEL THE PROPOSED SUBSTATION IN EAST BOSTON

MAYOR JANEY CALLS ON EVERSOURCE TO CANCEL THE PROPOSED SUBSTATION IN EAST BOSTON     BOSTON - Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - Building on a commitment of environmental justice and protecting public health, Mayor Janey today, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, and GreenRoots advocate Noemy Rodriguez, to urge Eversource to justify or cancel its proposed electrical substation in East Boston. “As mayor of Boston, I will not remain silent when the people of East Boston are crying out,” said Mayor Janey. “From what I have seen, the substation plan is based on flawed projections and flawed priorities. I urge Eversource to prioritize environmental equity and the wellbeing of East Boston residents over their profits.” In February 2021, the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board gave its final approval for an electrical substation near Chelsea Creek in East Boston. Eversource Energy made the initial proposal in 2013, stating the facility was necessary to support the capacity of a substation in Chelsea. Eversource’s initial estimates for projected energy demand have not been met and new, adjusted data has not been shared publicly. Community members have expressed opposition over the proposal, due to concerns about public safety and environmental justice.  “Environmental justice says we need to ask hard questions about who is asked to carry the burden and who receives the benefits,” said Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space Mariama White-Hammond. “I stand with the Mayor and the residents of East Boston to protect those residents who already experience so many burdens. In addition to questioning whether we really need this facility, we need to understand whether or not this facility is in alignment with very real changes that are happening on our planet. I look forward to continuing to work with the community to ensure environmental justice for all residents of Boston.” East Boston is considered a state designated Environmental Justice Community. 64 percent of community members are people of color and 54 percent of the community are immigrants. This area faces a variety of environmental hazards, such as noise and air pollution from Logan International Airport, traffic congestion, storage of fuel, manufacturing processes along the Chelsea Creek, as well as storage of road salt and sand along the Chelsea Creek. The proposed location for the substation is adjacent to City Yards, a highly utilized public park where children play, which could lead to potential safety hazards. Climate change and rapid sea-level rise exacerbate the potential danger of having an electrical substation on the waterfront. The citing of this substation in an environmental justice community already facing several environmental hazards, combined with the exposure to children and the risk of flooding, is unsafe.  "Families in East Boston have been through a lot this past year and we hope that our parks can remain an environmentally safe and inviting space for our children,” said Noemy Rodriguez of GreenRoots. “We carry enough of an environmental burden already; if actually needed this substation should be placed somewhere else." Expanding on Mayor Janey’s commitment to environmental justice and reducing air pollution, last week the City of Boston began accepting applications for the new Community Clean Air Grant program. Funded through the Air Pollution Control Commission, the City is seeking to support locally-driven proposals from residents, nonprofit organizations, and businesses for projects that will produce meaningful, measurable steps to reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution. There will be three rounds of funding throughout the year for projects that will contribute to the City of Boston’s 2019 Climate Action Plan update, which details specific actions the City is taking over five years to significantly cut emissions across all sectors in order to reach Boston’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The City of Boston will be accepting applications until Friday, June 4th.  Mayor Janey’s Administration is taking steps to recognize and address the risks of climate change, and to protect Boston’s urban ecosystem. Last month, Mayor Janey proposed the following investments for environmental resilience and climate justice in the Fiscal Year 2022-2026 Capital Plan proposal: ·     $48 million for Phase 2 and 3 of Renew Boston Trust, which is designed to identify energy retrofit project opportunities in City-owned buildings to create future energy savings.  ·     $5 million for a Climate Ready Boston Harbor study to support the development of a study that will examine the feasibility of measures along and within the Boston Harbor to reduce vulnerability of coastal flooding due to sea level rise caused by climate change. ·     $20 million to design and implement a signature, climate resilient waterfront park along the Fort Point Channel. ·     $1.7 million per year for the ongoing program of street tree planting throughout the city ·     $1.8 million to repave pathways at Dorchester Park  ·     $7.5 million to repave pathways at the Back Bay Fens to improve accessibility and site conditions ·     $15.5 million to complete the park redesign at Copley Square to optimize resilience to high-traffic events and storm-water ·     $9.4 million to redesign and construct a new Malcolm X Park through the City’s first Equitable Procurement Pilot program As indicated in the 2019 Climate Action Plan update, the City of Boston is taking action to lower carbon emissions and reverse the impacts of climate change. Between 2005 and 2016, the amount of carbon pollution emitted by city operations was reduced by 18 percent. This year, the City announced the completion of $11 million in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to 14 municipal buildings, representing $680,000 in savings and a one percent reduction in municipal greenhouse gas emissions. In February, Community Choice Electricity began supplying over 200,000 residences and commercial customers with more affordable and renewable electricity. In order to provide high quality, safe, and cleaner affordable housing to our most vulnerable residents, the City of Boston recently awarded $34 million to support the creation of 608 new units that will be built to zero emissions standards. Climate Ready Boston is simultaneously strengthening Boston’s climate change resilience and adaptation with near- and long-term planning through neighborhood-level engagement and solutions.  For more information on how Boston is actively preparing for the impacts of climate change and advancing the vision of a resilient city, visit boston.gov/environment.

iTaiwan窗口講座闡述台商服務新方案、營養免疫、人身安全防衛

iTaiwan窗口部分出席者。

             (Boston Orange) 駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處、波士頓僑教中心和波士頓急難救助協會及新英格蘭大波士頓臺灣商會合作，4月29日晚在網上舉辦「i臺灣窗口」線上講座，提供僑台商服務新方案，攝取營養增強免疫系統，以及人身安全防衛等相關資訊。

             駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元特地出席致詞，並向僑胞致意。

 駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元致詞。

             這場講座由臺灣世衛外交協會波士頓聯絡人林思妤主持，共分三段，分別為波士頓文教中心主任潘昭榮介紹僑委會與產學研發單位合作，推廣臺灣農業醫療等僑臺商服務新模式；營養師陳譯庭闡述如何攝取營養增強免疫系統；劍橋市警官Buckowe Yam簡報如何保護，防衛個人的人身安全。

              林思妤指出，臺灣防疫成就與表現受到國際肯定，可歸功於政府超前部署、資訊公開透明、資源分配管理是當，邊境管制及時，以及人民主動戴口罩，勤洗手，防疫觀念正確等等因素。「台灣確實讓人愛」。  

           潘昭榮以「僑委會僑台商服務新模式」為重點，說明僑委會運用新科技，為海外僑臺商服務的整合方案，包括海外信用保證基金、全球僑臺商農業服務方案，全球僑臺商食品產業、紡織產業、科技產業技術服務方案，6月30日前都可使用的健康益友APP，智慧經濟電子報，彙編全球防疫物資臺商名錄、臺灣新創事業名錄及臺灣智慧城市工商名錄、臺商服務手冊，建立全球僑臺商人才平臺、產學合作服務方案，以及僑委會最近所主辦之各種線上培訓課程及商機邀訪活動等。他也鼓勵僑胞上僑委會網站，到僑台商專區查詢更多資訊，https://Business.Taiwan-World.Net。

臺灣世衛外交協會波士頓聯絡人林思妤主持講座。

             營養師陳譯庭畢業於臺北醫學大學，獲有北卡羅來納大學教堂山分校(UNC Chapel Hill)公共衛生營養學碩士學位，目前在美國J.C. Blair紀念醫院擔任營養師。她從「吃得健康」開始，暢談2020-2025的美國飲食指南，如何用USDA網站的「MyPlate」資訊，來管理個人的營養攝取，增強免疫力。她還特地指出，美國的新版食品營養標示，讓人能夠更加一目了然每樣食品可分多少份，有多少卡路里，一般人適宜的每日用量等資訊。 

                 劍橋市警官Buckowe Yam的簡報以個人安全為主題，包括如何注意，辨別，減少，避免危險。他提醒人不要邊走邊打電話、刷手機或戴耳機，在路上要注意周圍環境，保持警覺，別深夜獨自上路，出門最好有朋友結伴，選擇光線充足、人多的地方，走路時姿態要擡頭挺胸，不怕與陌生人眼神接觸。如果遭遇持械搶劫，務必保持鎮靜，並切記此時不可與歹徒對視，但應找機會記住歹徒所穿著鞋靴、配飾、外貌等特徵，好讓警察更容易做後續逮捕或指認。他建議民眾可自備高分貝警報器、防身噴霧等物品，以降低個人受害的風險等。

營養師陳譯庭。 

         波士頓僑教中心事後送給當晚提問者，演講人員，每人一個僑委會防疫關懷包，以示感謝。

劍橋市警官Buckowe Yam說明個人警報器發出的聲音，
可嚇阻歹徒。

僑教中心主任潘昭榮介紹僑台商服務新平台之一。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊拜訪華埠 提醒商家「餐館振興基金」即日起可申請

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(中)在華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影(右)陪同下，拜訪華埠商家，探詢雅都餅家老闆姚育東是否
知道聯邦政府通過，共有286億元的「餐館振興基金(Restaurant
Revitalization Fund)」5月3日起可以申請。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導)「波士頓華埠餐館商家們，聯邦政府振興餐館基金5月3日起受理申請，你們申請了嗎」?聯邦眾議員普莉斯來(Ayanna Pressley)5月2日特地走訪波士頓華埠，提醒餐飲業東主，這是不需償還的補助款，婦女及少數族裔業者有優先權。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(中)在華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影(右)陪同下，拜訪香滿園餐廳，和老闆林嘉華夫婦合影。
(周菊子攝)

               美國總統拜登(Joe Biden) 在3月11日簽署通過1.9兆元的「美國援救計畫(American Rescue Plan)」，其中包括286億元的餐館振興基金(Restaurant Revitalization Fund)」，期以幫助在新冠病毒疫情中遭受打擊最重，卻在薪資保護法(PPP)中未能獲得充分援助的中小餐館業者。

               獨立餐館聯盟指出，新冠疫情在餐館業造成慘重災情，全美約有17%的10萬多家餐廳關門大吉。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(中)在華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影(右)陪同下，拜訪新金門餐廳。祁偉威表示店內生意跌了八成。
(周菊子攝)

               聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊從華府回到轄區後，特地趕在餐館振興基金開始受理申請前一天，由華人前進會榮譽主席李素影陪同，依序拜訪亞都餅家，香滿園，新金門，興盛餅家等餐廳、糕餅店，提醒餐飲業者，聯邦議員們聽到了小企業的聲音，已通過法案，推出這不須償還，但需申請的補助款。

               根據承辦這項目的小企業行政局(SBA)，餐館振興基金容許企業集團每家最高申請1000萬元，每一實際地點，最高不可超過500萬元的補助款。這筆錢不須繳稅，可用於償還薪資保護法(PPP)的貸款，付薪水，繳房貸，水電費，購買耗材，支付服務費或供應商費用等等，範圍極廣。申請者須注意的是所得款項必須在2023年3月11日之前用罄。SBA網站上也有1頁中文簡介，https://content.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Restaurant%20Revitalization%20Fund%20Overview_Trad%20Chinese.pdf。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(中)在華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影(右)陪同下，拜訪興盛餅家，店東張玉蓮表示，能賺到
付工資的錢，就已經很感恩了。普莉斯萊自掏腰包買了些糕點，
以實際行動支持地方商家。(周菊子攝)

               餐館振興基金從開始受理申請日起，前21天只對婦女，退伍軍人，以及處於社會和經濟弱勢群體的業主，例如亞裔，非裔，西裔等少數族裔開放，第22天開始，才對其他符合資格的申請者開放。

               在286億元中，有5億元要分配給在2019年內營業額低於5萬美元的公司，50億元要分給2019年總營收低於50萬美元的公司，40億元要分配給2019年總營收再50萬元至150萬元之間的公司。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(左)和華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影已情同姊妹。(周菊子攝)

普莉斯來在拜訪店家時指出，她深知餐館業，小企業面對的艱困，所以在美國副總統Klama Harrisc還是聯邦參議員時，就和他攜手起草過「拯救我們的街道法案(Save Our Street Act，簡稱SOS法案，要更有針對性的幫助員工25人以下的中小企業，最高得到25萬元來度過難關。她計畫在本年度會期再重新遞出這一法案。

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(中)在華人前進會榮譽主席
李素影(右)陪同下，探訪波士頓華埠商家，出發前和華人前進會主任
陳玉珍(左二)，波士頓華埠社區中心主任Ben Hire傾談。
(周菊子攝)

普莉斯莉在探訪店家十，還親切探問經營狀況。亞都餅家經由普莉斯來和李素影提點，才知道糕餅店也適用於這次的餐館振興基金。香滿園老闆方嘉華也感嘆，不但營業額，員工人數都大減，還有人打電話訂餐，卻不取貨，既浪費，也擴大了虧損程度。新金門值班經理表示，生意額跌了80%。

興盛餅家的張玉蓮有著與社會共體時艱精神，直言自己的店，能夠掙得支付”人工”的錢，她就滿足了，政府的補助款，留給更有需要的人申請。普莉斯來聽到這樣的回答，大為驚嘆，立即自掏腰包買高點的以實際行動支持地方餐飲食鋪。

一名獲悉普莉斯來到訪華埠商家原因的路邊旁觀者表示，不知道波士頓華埠的社區服務機構，例如波士頓華埠主街，華埠商會等機構，有沒伸出援手，通知並協助華埠商家申請這不需償還，甚至幾乎不限用途的「餐館振興基金」。   (更新版)     

波士頓華埠中心主任Ben Hire和聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna
Pressley)合影。(周菊子攝)

聯邦眾議員普莉斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)(右)和華人前進會主任陳玉珍
合影。(周菊子攝)

2021波士頓台灣影展今秋主題選定"苦樂參半"

                      (Boston Orange) 波士頓台灣影展協會(TFFB)跨入2021年，策展團隊選定「苦樂參半(Bittersweet)」為主題，繼續藉電影，促請更多海外人士認識台灣。

            以下為影展協會新聞稿:      

波士頓台灣影展感恩各方的熱烈支持，讓2020 『Lost & Found』 線上影展系列圓滿落幕。 團隊於今年初開啟第三屆的籌劃，有幸獲得許多熱情有才華的新血加入，讓團隊的組成與視野更加豐富多元。秉持著創造對話、促進交流的初心，經過無數漫漫長夜絞盡腦汁的評估與討論，策展團隊從二十幾個主題中，精選出了本屆的影展主題ー『Bittersweet』。

『人生如戲，戲如人生』，電影中的議題是社會的縮影，也是導演與影人，透過不斷累積與醞釀，淬煉出來的人生百味。台灣對於飲食文化的重視與講究，使得飲食成為連結人、事、物的重要媒介。本屆影展的初衷，是希望透過台灣電影，引領觀眾探索記憶中的滋味。記憶中的滋味，是有溫度的鄉愁，更是人生重要的養分。近年來的台灣電影，也如同分子料理與各種 fusion 餐廳一般，混搭出充滿新鮮感與多元文化的新滋味。波士頓台灣影展團隊期許本屆的 『Bittersweet』系列，能夠讓更多海內外的觀眾，用不同的視角與生命經驗，深度尋根探索台灣獨特文化中的情與味，並且加以傳承與推廣。

本屆影展將於 2021 下半年舉辦，屆時將帶領觀眾細細品味色香味俱全，笑中帶淚，鹹中帶甜， 且令人回味無窮的台灣電影。映後將舉辦座談會，邀請您與影人對話，深度了解電影角色與影人的酸甜苦辣。更多資訊請洽官網。敬請期待！(May 2nd, 2021)

 Taiwan Film Festival of Boston selects theme for their third season

BOSTON, Mass. -- Apr. 26, 2021 -- Taiwan Film Festival of Boston (TFFB), a nonprofit organization that emphasizes connection and dialogue through films announces the theme for the upcoming third season as “Bittersweet”.

“People often find connections with each other through food and dining. The goal of our third annual film festival in 2021 is to take our audience through a journey back in time, to rediscover feelings and nostalgia,” said Andrew Lin, Chair of Curation. “These emotional capacities are what makes us human and keeps us connected to each other. The TFFB team commits to sparking conversations and inspiring exploration via different perspectives, and to savor the Taiwanese culture that we all cherish.”

TFFB’s annual film festival will take place in Fall 2021, with the format to be decided.

To learn more about TFFB, visit www.taiwanfilmfest.org. (April 30th, 2021)

AG辦公室: SUBOXONE不實行銷 付款665萬元和解

AG HEALEY SECURES $6.65 MILLION FROM DRUG COMPANY FOR FALSELY AND AGGRESSIVELY MARKETING SUBOXONE

Payment Part of $300 Million Global Settlement with Indivior over Improper Promotion of Suboxone for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment 

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey has secured $6.65 million for Massachusetts from Indivior plc and Indivior Inc. (Indivior) to settle allegations that they falsely and aggressively marketed and promoted the drug Suboxone, resulting in improper expenditures of state Medicaid funds. When treatment is properly administered by a licensed professional, Suboxone and other formulations of buprenorphine can be effective treatments for opioid use disorder by suppressing withdrawal and cravings for opioids.

“We allege this drug company recklessly and illegally pushed doctors to prescribe Suboxone to patients suffering from opioid use disorder, including for uses that were unsafe and not medically necessary,” said AG Healey. “This office remains steadfast in our commitment to go after any company that helps fuel the ongoing deadly opioid epidemic that continues to ravage our communities.”

Under the terms of the global settlement, Indivior will pay $300 million to resolve various civil fraud allegations impacting Medicaid and other government healthcare programs, of which approximately $204 million will go to Medicaid—$91 million of the Medicaid recovery will go to the 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with the remaining $113 million going to the federal government.

The global settlement resolves the claims against Indivior brought in six qui tam lawsuits pending in federal courts in the Western District of Virginia and the District of New Jersey. A National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) team worked in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice to reach this settlement. In addition to entering into this settlement, Indivior executed a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, requiring Indivior to implement numerous accountability and auditing provisions.

            The settlement agreement with AG Healey’s Office resolves allegations that, from 2010 through 2015, Indivior, directly or through its subsidiaries, promoted the sale and use of Suboxone to physicians resulting in prescriptions that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were issued without any counseling or psychosocial support, were for uses that were unsafe, ineffective, and medically unnecessary, and that were often diverted.

The AG’s Office also alleges that Indivior knowingly promoted the sale or use of Suboxone Sublingual Film based on false and misleading claims that the film was less subject to diversion and abuse than other buprenorphine products and that it was less susceptible to accidental pediatric exposure than Suboxone Sublingual Tablets.

Indivior also allegedly submitted a petition to the Food and Drug Administration in September 2012, fraudulently claiming that Suboxone Tablet had been discontinued “due to safety concerns” about the tablet formulation of the drug. The company took other steps to fraudulently delay the entry of generic competition for various forms of Suboxone to improperly control pricing of Suboxone, including pricing to the states’ Medicaid programs.

            This settlement is the latest action that AG Healey has taken to combat the opioid epidemic and hold accountable those who are responsible for creating and fueling the crisis. Since taking office, AG Healey has prioritized combating the opioid epidemic through a multi-disciplinary approach that includes enforcement, policy, prevention, and education efforts. Learn more about AG Healey’s work to combat the opioid epidemic here.

In the Massachusetts AG’s Office, this settlement was handled by Assistant Attorney General Stephany Collamore of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division.

The Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

麻州預計六月410萬人打完疫苗 將關閉四大疫苗注射站

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)強調麻州防疫做得很好。

                       (Boston Orange 編譯) 踏入六月，麻州就會達標，有410萬人完全注射新冠疫苗(COVID-19)了。麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)等人今(3)日一早10點，在州政府大樓說明，下一步將推廣社區化選擇，更有針對性的鼓勵麻州居民接種疫苗。

                 查理貝克和副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)，健康及人民服務卿Marylou Sudders，以及麻州總醫院(MGH)傳染病中心主任Paul Biddinger一起，就麻州疫苗施打及分配情況，做進一步說明。

                   麻州政府指出，截至今日，麻州已有390萬人至少已注射一劑新冠疫苗，未來七天，還會有18萬人要接種第一劑疫苗，估計到六月時，全麻州就會有410萬人完整的接種了一劑或二劑新冠疫苗。

麻州副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)。

                  查理貝克強調，麻州在施打及分發疫苗的速度及比率上，在全美位居前茅，新確診個案數和住院人數和今年一月初相比，都已下降80%有多，下一步，麻州將更有針對性的鼓勵州內20個受新冠病毒影響最嚴重社區內居民，克服對疫苗的觀望與恐懼，加入接種行列。

               麻州政府的推廣疫苗接種安排將包括提供疫苗給22個區域合作機構；加倍撥發疫苗給20個不成比例受影響的社區；和麻州醫藥協會合作，從五月中開始讓更多一般醫療機構取得疫苗，這部分將涉及確認複雜的儲存設備，以及運送安排，以確保所有疫苗得到最好的應用。此外，麻州將在20個受影響最大區域的耆英中心，崇拜會所，以及社區組織，擴大疫苗注設流動站服務。

麻州健康及人民服務卿Marylou Sudders。

              麻州政府指出，迄今共有2萬1000劑疫苗是流動疫苗注射站施打的，其中61%的接種者為有色人種。

             許多地方已經開始提供新的注射疫苗機會，包括都會北區域合作機構，有三個新的疫苗注射站，包括艾佛瑞特(Everett)市的Encore賭場，麥特福(Medord)的塔芙茨(Tufts)校園，以及尚莫維爾市(Somerville)的劍橋健康聯盟(Cambridge Health Alliance)。

             波士頓醫療中心設在南灣購物中心的疫苗站，也可預約登記新的疫苗接種。

             流動疫苗診所將分佈在Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester這三個城市，以及使用不同語言的秋河(Fall River)市地方教堂，寺廟。

麻州總醫院(MGH)傳染病中心主任Paul Biddinger。

             布洛克頓(Brockton)市的西門商場(Westgate Mall)，以及不同的市府住宅大樓也都有疫苗門診。

             大型疫苗站即預先登記部分，麻州政府運作的七個大型疫苗注射站，將逐漸收縮規模或轉型。預定六月底時，關閉其中的四個，吉列體育館，海恩斯(Hynes) 會展中心，丹佛市(Danvers)內的雙樹(Double Tree)酒店，以及納堤克(Natick)商場。從第一個大型疫苗注射站於1月18日在吉列體育館(Gillette Stadium)開張運作以來，已施打了120萬劑疫苗，為47萬人完整的注射了二劑疫苗。麻州估計在五月分內將施打25萬劑第二劑疫苗，並在未來七天內施打18萬劑第一劑疫苗。

             麻州政府將在特定的大型疫苗注射站接受隨到隨辦服務，相關資訊屆時會在登記注射疫苗網站上出現，VaxFinder.mass.gov。某些疫苗注設站的登記預約，仍可在該網站上辦理，或者撥打211電話。

             未來數週，麻州政府估計聯邦疾病防治中心將授權為12到15歲青少年注射疫苗。麻州政府將容許願意帶小孩到大型疫苗注射站注射疫苗的家長們登記預約。

Baker-Polito Administration on Track to Hit Goal of 4.1 Million People Vaccinated, Announces Next Phase of Vaccination Efforts

Massachusetts set to vaccinate 4.1 million people by the beginning of June

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito were joined by Secretary of Health & Human Services Marylou Sudders and Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Disaster Medicine Director Dr. Paul Biddinger to discuss the Commonwealth’s vaccine progress and outline the next phase of vaccine distribution.

 

In December, the Baker-Polito Administration set a goal of vaccinating approximately four million people in the Commonwealth. According to the CDC’s vaccine data, 3.9 million people in Massachusetts have been fully or partially vaccinated as of today. Another 180,000 people are scheduled to get their first dose in the next 7 days.

 

Altogether, 4.1 million are set to be fully vaccinated by the beginning of June —reaching the administration’s initial goal and representing a significant achievement for the Commonwealth.

 

Next Phase of the Commonwealth’s Vaccination Efforts: More Targeted, Community-Based Options

 

Massachusetts is a national leader for vaccine distribution across every national metric. As a result of the state’s efforts, hospitalizations and new positive cases decreased — particularly among our most vulnerable residents.

 

While reaching 4.1 million residents vaccinated represents progress, the administration will continue to adapt vaccine efforts to be more targeted and will shift vaccines to smaller scale operations focusing on certain populations and specific communities—such as the Commonwealth’s 20 most disproportionately impacted communities.

 

This next phase of the Commonwealth’s vaccine efforts will include:

 

• Providing all 22 regional collaboratives with doses to fully operate their programs.

 

• Doubling the state vaccine allocation for our 20 most disproportionately impacted communities.

 

• Working with the Mass Medical Society to increase access of vaccines with additional primary care providers by mid-May. This effort will require affirming complex storage and scheduling logistics to ensure all doses are put to good use.

 

• Expanding mobile vaccine clinics in our 20 most disproportionately impacted communities at senior centers, houses of worship and other community-based organizations.

 

• Working with current providers and community partners to offer new vaccine clinic opportunities.

 

Over 21,000 doses have been administered through mobile vaccination clinics in Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Fall River, Springfield and New Bedford. Mobile clinics have been particularly effective in our equity communities and to reach people of color. So far, 61% of vaccine recipients at these clinics have been people of color.

 

New vaccine clinic opportunities have already started to be stood up. Some examples include:

 

• The Metro North Regional Collaborative’s three new clinics at the Encore Casino in Everett, Tufts Campus in Medford and at the Cambridge Health Alliance location in Somerville.

 

• Boston Medical Center’s new vaccine scheduling location at the South Bay Shopping Center.

 

• Mobile clinics in Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester and Fall River at local churches and temples in different languages.

 

• The City of Brockton’s clinic at the Westgate Mall and at different municipal housing complexes.

 

Mass Vaccination Sites & Pre-Registration

 

The Baker-Polito Administration will also begin to transition or ramp down the state’s seven mass vaccination sites. Mass vaccination sites have played a critical role in the Commonwealth’s vaccination process in a very short period of time.

 

At the mass vaccination sites, the Commonwealth has administered 1.2 million doses and fully vaccinated 470,000 people since the first site opened at Gillette Stadium on January 18th. The state expects to administer around 250,000 second doses in May and another 180,000 first doses across all providers over the next seven days.

 

With millions of people vaccinated, the demand for high throughput mass vaccination sites will gradually decline, and more vaccines will be dispersed more widely across communities.

 

The administration will gradually close four out of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites by the end of June (Gillette Stadium, Hynes Convention Center, Double Tree in Danvers & the Natick Mall).

 

We will soon begin to accept walk-ins at select mass vaccination sites. Information about availability for walk-ups will be reflected on VaxFinder.mass.gov soon.

 

Appointments for some sites will also be available at VaxFinder.mass.gov or by calling 211.

 

Since the pre-registration system was launched, over 1.8 million people registered and have been offered an appointment at least twice.

 

In the coming weeks, the state is anticipating that the CDC may authorize vaccines for children ages 12-15, and we will keep pre-registration available for parents who may want to bring kids to a mass vaccination site.

 

More details to come when the CDC determines the next steps on this.

警察局問題是燙手山竽 Kim Janey面對三挑戰

                (Boston Orange編譯)波士頓代理市長Kim Janey面對著強敵環伺的今秋波士頓市長選舉，如何處理波士頓警察局的一連串醜聞，議題，陡然成為可能動輒得咎的一大挑戰。

全美最老警察局之一的波士頓市警察局，面對的爭議有三項。首先是波士頓市警察局局長Dennis White目前留薪停職，獨立調查人員正翻查他的1999年家庭暴力控罪。

接著是Patrick M. Rose Sr.的性騷擾兒童案。波士頓環球報稱，調查顯示波士頓警察局在1995年已決定，Rose比可能更確定的性騷擾了一名12歲兒童。但波士頓警察局不斷拒絕公佈檔案，或討論，為什麼Rose繼續擔任巡警，還可以接近兒童，以致後來發生另外5宗性虐待兒童案。Rose甚至還一度擔任波士頓市最有權勢的巡警工會會長。

Kim Janey在本月早前，從Rose案的105頁內部調查報告中，公佈了13頁內容。有關人員說，波士頓市府扣下其他92頁，是為保護受害者的身分。

第三宗則是3月份時，聯邦當局逮捕，並控告了一名退休波士頓警長虛報加班，袋得12,395元。這促使有關單位已進行了一年的警察局證據庫裏薪資冊浮濫調查，行動升級。

這三個問題都發生在Kim Janey接任代理市長之前，但如何在政治湍流中為波士頓警察局探索未來方向，卻成了她上任後最立即的挑戰，也強調著她當代理市長，同時競選市長，既有市長職位可帶來的所有優勢，也同時帶有政治危險。

麻州大學政治教授Erin O’Brien說，在競爭激烈初選中，當大多數參選人都爭著要以最激進的名聲競選時，警察問題處理得不好肯定會成為議題。大部分的候選人計算著，在警察議題上強硬是好政策，也是好的政治手腕。

波士頓市長參選人Andrea Campbell和John Barros就都要求Kim Janey完整的公佈警察局內部調查檔案。

Kim Janey在四月初時說，警察局局長White的調查，在月底會有結果。該調查結果已於週日送抵市長室。Kim Janey的發言人說，White的未來，在五月初會有個決定。

波士頓市內一些政治評論人士，包括一名地方電台主持人Paul Parara認為Kim Janey只是代理市長，無權就永久性的職位做決定，應該讓目前的代理警察局長繼續工作至下一任新市長選出來以後再說。

另一名麻州大學政治教授Kevin Wozniak表示，警察問題在今秋的選舉中，會很重要。不論Kim Janey如何決定，一定會有些選民高興，有些不高興。有些人永遠都要求有更激進的改革，警察工會卻可能會對實質性變化發怒。

在波士頓的犯罪與司法研究所(Crime and Justice Institute)主任Christine Cole表示，在全國各地的警察與社區關係惡化之際，波士頓的領導們和警察局必須以行動取信於民，以顯示他們不容忍警察局內警員有不洽當行為。遮掩以前的壞行為，不符合人們的期望。

               在擔任市議員期間，Kim Janey一直要求波士頓警察局有實質的徹底改變。她最近公佈的37億5000萬元市府預算，就包括刪減警察局經費，她也公佈100萬元預算，撥給新成立的獨立市府觀察機構，調查警員的不當行為。

               她提的預算案還另外有100萬元要為警察辦理族裔平等訓練，200萬元給更多醫護，來幫助警察因應涉及精神有病者，或者其他的困難情況。