Friday March 19 COVID-19 Updates

Dear all,

I write to you this evening with relevant COVID-19 updates and resources.

Important New Vaccine Information

Mobile Vaccination Program in Cambridge

Residents of the City of Cambridge who need someone to come to their home to administer the COVID vaccine should contact Susan Pacheco at the Cambridge Council on Aging by email at spacheco@cambridgema.gov or phone at 617-349-6224. She is compiling a list of Cambridge residents to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine through a mobile vaccination program.

Office Updates

Consider UMass

In the summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to sit down with other UMass alumni (some of whom are Colleagues) to discuss public service. I’m honored to be a part of this group. Much of my success is on the shoulders of attending an outstanding higher education institution -- UMass Amherst. Many of you may know students who are fortunate to be making big choices this spring about their futures. For those considering higher education as their next step, I’d encourage you to watch this video and consider a UMass institution.

Upcoming Office Hours

I will be holding virtual office hours next week at the following times:

Thursday, March 25, 2021, from 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Friday, March 26, 2021, from 10:00 - 11:00 AM

The first half hour of office hours will be open to all who wish to join. The second half hour will be reserved for 1:1 appointments for those who have matters that they wish to discuss privately. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this form or call my office at 617-722-2060.

Cambridge Vaccination Updates

Cambridge Releases Vaccination Data

The City of Cambridge has added Cambridge Vaccination Data to its COVID-19 Data Center. Data will be updated weekly on Fridays at 4pm. Information as of March 19, 2021:

Residents who have received at least 1 dose: 23,199 (21%)

Fully Vaccinated Residents: 14,025 (13%)

MA Vaccination Updates

Resources for Booking and Getting to Your Appointment

Online: Pre-register for mass vaccination sites at vaccinesignup.mass.gov. All state vaccination sites are online at vaxfinder.mass.gov/, or you can book directly with a pharmacy at cvs.com or walgreens.com. You can also visit macovidvaccines.com, which is not an official site but is more user-friendly than the state site.
Phone: Call 2-1-1 between 8:30 AM-8:00 PM Monday-Thursday or 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Friday-Sunday and select the prompt for “help scheduling a vaccine appointment.” This multilingual service is for residents who don’t have Internet access or have trouble using the Internet.
Need help? For detailed information about how to make an appointment, including updates about specific health care providers, see the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services vaccine resources page. You can also visit macovidvaxhelp.com, which is an unofficial site staffed by volunteers for eligible individuals who are unable to book vaccine appointments on their own.
Need a ride? Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is offering free transportation for local adults aged 65+ to COVID-19 vaccination sites in Cambridge and Somerville as well as Fenway Park and CHA Malden. For more information, click here. To register for a ride, call SCES at 617-628-2601 or email info@eldercare.org.
The City of Cambridge has published accessibility information for the state’s mass vaccination sites. You can find it here.

Don’t forget to book your second appointment while you’re getting your first dose!

Daily COVID-19 Vaccination Report

The Department of Public Health is now publishing a Daily COVID-19 Vaccine Report in addition to its Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Report. Information as of Friday, March 19, 2021:

Total doses administered: 2,804,935

Total cumulative doses shipped to MA: 3,221,520

Vaccination Timeline

Massachusetts is currently in the middle of Phase Two of the vaccine rollout. For more details and updates on vaccination priorities, please visit mass.gov/CovidVaccine.

FAQs

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has a Frequently Asked Questions site that is continually updated as they receive new questions. You may access the FAQs here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-frequently-asked-questions. Questions can be submitted to COVID-19-Vaccine-Plan-MA@mass.gov.

State Updates

MA Extending State Tax Deadline

Yesterday, House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka announced that they plan to extend the state’s tax-filing deadline by about a month- April 15 to May 17. This will allow the state’s tax deadline to align with changes at the federal level.

Cambridge Updates

Voices for Justice featuring Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Cambridge Public Library (CPL) Foundation is hosting a Voices for Justice event series to support the CPL's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives. This virtual event features New York Times best-selling author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates in conversation with award-winning journalist Callie Crossley of GBH News Boston’s Under the Radar. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 7:30 PM on Zoom. For more information and to register, click here.

Apply to Be Part of Starlight Square Season Two

The Starlight Square Steering Committee is now accepting applications for its Spring/Summer season. Anyone interested in organizing programming, performances or events can respond to the request for proposals here; applications are due by Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 11:59 PM. Read more here.

Translation Resources Available

Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City's multilingual help page.

National Updates

There are no national updates today.

Baker Press Conference Updates

Governor Baker did not hold a press conference today. You can watch the Governor's latest COVID-19 updates here.

Today’s Case Count

Massachusetts

Total Cases: 576,022

New Cases: 1,887

Total Deaths: 16,469

Tests Today: 106,772

Cambridge

Total Cases: 5,215

New Cases: 35

Total Deaths: 121

The state has created an interactive dashboard, including the percentage of COVID-19 positive cases and testing rates by city and town. The dashboard can be viewed here.

For Harvard University COVID-19 information, click here.

For MIT COVID-19 information, click here.

Cambridge COVID Testing Sites

Mental Health Services and Resources

If you or a loved one are struggling, please know that you are not alone. Here are some great resources:

Cambridge Mental Health Resources

Where to Give

On Fridays, Cambridge CoHousing will be collecting food either in a paper bag or small box for the Chelsea Food Collaborative. Drop off is between 9 AM and 2:30 PM at the entrance to CoHousing at 175 Richdale Avenue, Cambridge, MA. If you don't see someone at the moment you arrive, please leave it just inside the gate where we will have boxes marked "For Chelsea."

Transition House in Need of Emergency Donations:

If you are able to give to others during this time, I encourage you to look to additional places that are working to help those most affected by COVID-19:

I also encourage you to donate to the following organizations that are engaging in racial justice work:

As always, do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.

Sincerely,

Marjorie