Dear all,
I hope this email finds you and your family safe and as well as possible. We will continue to provide these updates Monday through Friday, along with any urgent updates when necessary. At 4:30 this morning, I took my last vote for the end of the 191st session of the Massachusetts Legislature. Earlier this afternoon it was my honor to be sworn into the 192nd session. You will see over the next week in my morning updates a recap of the end of the Legislative session. I wanted to take this moment to thank you for your support and confidence as the elected Representative for the 25th Middlesex District.
It was no small irony that on the day I was being sworn back into office, our nation's democracy was being violently attacked, incited by the President of the United States. The attempted coup encouraged by the President resulted in democratically elected members of Congress, staff, and law enforcement being forced to flee for their safety and evacuate and/or shelter in place. This was an attack on all of us who find our values of a democratic representation an obstacle.
I hope you are finding self-care for yourself and your family. I have communicated with our Congresswoman Katherine Clark who assured me she was safe, prepared, and ready for this moment, and I was also happy to see that the rest of our delegation was safe as well on Twitter. Yet, I feel overwhelmed by the vulnerability of this moment. We will continue to navigate this pandemic, transition power to our new President and Vice President Elect, roll out vaccines and rebuild a society that understands that white supremacy and income inequality must be recognized and eliminated from the roots of our rebuilt country.
As of today, 3,403 Cambridge residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and 111 residents have passed away, according to the state's database. Learn more here. There have been 386,052 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, and there are 6,419 newly reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state today. 102,573 tests have been performed today, and 12,563 have passed away. Learn more here.
Baker Press Conference Updates
Governor Baker did not hold a press conference today.
State Action Updates
Cambridge Public Schools Plan for Wider Reopen in February
Cambridge's school committee voted today to approve changes in policies around in-person learning, with the city seeking to allow schools to stay open regardless of pandemic levels across the state and within Cambridge. Concerns continue from those who oppose and agree with the measure regarding the long-term impacts on mental health of remote learning. Read more here.
Cambridge Updates
Harvard University COVID-19 information, click here.
MIT COVID-19 information, click here.
Updated vaccine schedule, click here.
Cambridge flu clinics are over, but you can still get a flu shot.
The Cambridge Public Health Department's annual public flu clinics ended on November 14, 2020. Please note that the Cambridge Public Health Department will not be able to offer any flu shot appointments at its office this year due to the pandemic.
Residents are encouraged to visit a local pharmacy or make an appointment with their health care provider. Flu shots are covered by most Massachusetts health insurance plans. Cambridge Health Alliance patients (12 - 22 years old) or Cambridge Public School students (12 - 22 years old) can now receive a flu shot at the Teen Health Center located in Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Call 617-665-1548 to schedule an appointment.
Contactless Holds Pickup Service hours at the O'Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., Cambridge have been extended. The new schedule is as follows:
Wednesdays, 1:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Thursdays, 11:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Fridays, 11:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Where to Get Tested
Testing appointments through the City's free mobile-testing program are now available at the following locations:
- Monday - 50 Church St. 12:00pm - 8:00pm
- Tuesday - 50 Church St. 12:00pm - 8:00pm
- Wednesday - 2254 Massachusetts Ave, St. John the Evangelist Church, 10:00am - 6:00pm
- Thursday - CambridgeSide in East Cambridge, 11:00am - 7:00pm (Drive-through testing in garage. Enter on First St.)
- Friday - 50 Church St. 12:00pm - 8:00pm
- Saturday - Christian Life Center located at 85 Bishop Allen Drive. 11:00am - 7:00pm
- Sunday - CambridgeSide in East Cambridge, 11:00am - 7:00pm (Drive-through testing in garage. Enter on First St.)
You can schedule an appointment online or by calling 617-665-3795.
Translation Resources Available
Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City's multilingual help page.
Where to Give
Cambridge Cohousing Hosting a Food Drive
This Friday, January 8, Cambridge Cohousing will once again collect & deliver food and children's books for Chelsea, to their partner at St. Luke's Church, which distributes food on Saturday mornings.
DROP OFF TIME: Friday, Jan 8th, anytime from 9am to 3:00pm.
NOTE: any food left off after 3pm will still be collected and delivered the following week
WHERE: 175 Richdale Ave entrance to Cohousing.
Please leave items just inside the gate either in or, if full, beside boxes marked FOR CHELSEA.
REMEMBER TO DONATE ONLY THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW and be sure food is in original packaging. nothing can be open, or re-bagged in any way, or it will have to be disposed.
Lastly, their Chelsea partner is happy to accept & distribute GIFT CARDS (Market Basket, Target, TJ MAxx, CVS), and prefer and appreciate the actual food donations. Thank you!
* Rice, 2-3 lb bags
* beans, dried and canned
* tomatoes, canned
* dry pasta
* tuna
* unsweetened cereals
* baby food, unsweetened
* diapers
Transition House in Need of Emergency Donations
Transition House's mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence in our community. In its first decades, Transition House created the first shelter on the East Coast, a legal services program for battered women, a foster grandparent program, and pioneered school-based teen dating violence intervention curricula and programs. Learn more here.
Today, Transition House provides vital housing options for individuals and families surviving domestic and intimate partner violence in Cambridge. With a 40% increase in emergency housing as a response to the pandemic, and rising expenses, Transition House needs support with their mission now more than ever. If you would like to donate, click here. If you would like to order from their wishlist, click here.
If you are able to give to others during this time, I encourage you to look to the following places that are working to help those most affected by COVID-19:
Cambridge Community Foundation
Hospitality Workers COVID-19 Emergency Fund
Cradles to Crayons Emergency Essentials Fund
I also encourage you to donate to the following organizations that are engaging in racial justice work:
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Families for Justice as Healing
Union of Minority Neighborhoods
As always, do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie