Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury Vaccinating Underserved Populations by Genevieve Santilli News Writer
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Vol. 54 iSSUE 21 www.umassmedia.com the massUMass Boston’s independentmedia student newspaper MARCH 8, 2021 Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury vaccinating underserved populations By Genevieve Santilli News Writer The Reggie Lewis Center who speak multiple languages. in Roxbury has opened as a The Reggie Lewis Center is mass COVID-19 vaccination located at Roxbury Community site. The site is focusing on College. Because the site is vaccinating communities of in the heart of Roxbury, it is color—a population which has easily accessible to the Boston been generally underserved in the neighborhoods it is targeting— vaccine rollout. these include Roxbury, Mattapan, The site opened to the public Roslindale, and Dorchester. on Saturday, Feb. 27, after a two- Additionally, half of the day soft launch beginning on appointments available at the site Thursday, Feb. 25. are being put aside for residents The site is now being run who live in these areas. With by CIC Health—the company current plans to administer 800 which is also heading up the mass shots a day at the site and future vaccination sites at Fenway Park plans to ramp up to 2,500 shots, in Boston and Gillette Stadium in this number is substantial. The Foxborough—after being run by site will also establish a phone the City of Boston for the month bank to contact residents in the of February. area to aid them in booking their The vaccination site has appointments. taken many steps to decrease “Our objective is to make skepticism regarding vaccination sure that we get as many people among communities of color. within this Roxbury community Among the site’s staff are a Black vaccinated as possible,” said medical site manager, Black lead operations manager Tiffany doctors, community volunteers Martin, according to the Boston and translators, and individuals The Reggie Lewis Center, turned MassVax site. Photo by Maya Martinez / Mass Media Staff. Herald. “We want to do it safely. Continued on page 3 Massachusetts moves to Phase Three, Step Two of COVID-19 reopening plan ByAbigail Basile News Editor On Monday, March 1, Massachusetts officially to come in close contact with each other will remain moved into a new phase of its COVID-19 reopening closed until March 22 in Boston. plan. With the shift into Phase Three, Stage Two of Additionally, live music performances in the state’s four-phased plan, a plethora of restrictions restaurants will not be allowed to restart until that have been loosened, and Gove. Baker has made date, while restaurants in other parts of the state have announcements regarding further loosening of allowed live musicians to play since March 1. COVID-19 restrictions in the near future. Gov. Baker fully intends to move forward in Restaurants no longer have capacity limits, but the state’s reopening plan—and in the reopening of only six people are allowed per table, and a 90-minute schools—”as long as public health metrics continue to time limit and social distancing policy will remain in improve,” according to masslive.com. place. Phase Four is planned to begin on March 22. Indoor performance venues such as theaters and At the commencement of Phase Four, large concert halls are allowed to open up at 50 percent outdoor and indoor venues would allow attendees to capacity. No more than 500 people are allowed inside return, should local jurisdictions also be in favor of this a venue. decision. This means Gillette Stadium, TD Garden, Smaller, indoor recreational centers such as and Fenway Park would be able to reopen at 12 percent trampoline parks, roller rinks, obstacle courses, and capacity in just a few weeks. laser tag are also allowed to reopen at 50 percent The state of Massachusetts has not yet reached capacity, despite the higher chance of visitors of these Phase Four since the beginning of the pandemic. In centers coming in contact with each other. October, the state moved into Phase Three, Step Two; Private gatherings in homes or other private however, it was pushed back a step on Dec. 13. outdoor spaces have remained the same. 10 people are Gov. Baker is also pushing for the reopening of allowed indoors, and 25 people are allowed outdoors. schools starting in April. Governor Baker made the Boston has modified this Phase Three, Step Two announcement on Tuesday, Feb. 23, and according plan slightly. to usnews.com, he cited “mounting concerns over While most businesses will be allowed to operate students’ academic loss and deteriorating mental at 50 percent capacity, indoor performance venues and health” as the reason for joining other state leaders in recreational venues where visitors have the potential this effort. Governor Charlie Baker visits a vaccination clinic for seniors in Lawrence on Continued on page 3 March 4, 2021. Photo by Joshua Qualls for the Governor’s Press Office. www.umassmedia.com News 3 Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury vaccinating underserved populations Genevieve Santilli 25 percent of Latinx respondents white, and 67.2 percent of those in these clinical trials,” said they’ve got to have confidence News Writer answered in the same way. who are fully vaccinated are Congresswoman Pressley and trust. That happens when they According to the weekly white as well. This data refers to according to NBC Boston. walk through the door and they see We want to do it effectively.” Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccinations that have occurred The Boston Herald reports people like them, who have been During the first few days of vaccination dashboard, 5 percent in the state of Massachusetts as of that Kim Janey—Boston City through similar situations.” the site’s official opening, Black of Massachusetts residents who Thursday, March 4. Council President, Acting-Mayor- In order to learn if you are Boston COVID-19 Coalition—a have received their first dose of the Congresswoman Ayanna in-waiting, and the woman set eligible to receive the COVID-19 group that consists of more than 250 vaccine are Black, and 5.3 percent Pressley spoke to the Reggie Lewis to be Boston’s first Black chief vaccine and to book your Black leaders of many domains— of those who are fully vaccinated site’s efforts to increase trust in the executive—also spoke to the appointment, visit: https://www. booked shots for almost 800 Black are Black. 4.4 percent of individuals vaccine among communities of importance of representation in the mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. and Latino residents. who have received the first dose of color. vaccination rollout. A study involving researchers the vaccine are Hispanic, while 4.1 “You need those health care “Those who are hardest hit by from UMass Boston found in percent of those who have been professionals who look like you, this pandemic have to be front and mid-January that nearly half of fully vaccinated are Hispanic. operate in cultural competency, center when it comes to making sure Black residents of Boston said Contrastingly, 69.8 percent of who can debunk a lot of that they have the treatment needed,” they definitely or probably do not the individuals who have received misinformation and let them said President Janey. “[It’s] not plan to receive the vaccine—over the first dose of the vaccine are know that we were represented just equitable access to the vaccine, Massachusetts moves to Phase Three, Step Two of COVID-19 reopening plan Abigail Basile Boston.com reports that set forth by the CDC for fully direction,” said Gov. Baker continued Baker. News Editor CDC guidelines suggest that only reopening elementary schools. according to NBC Boston. “That For more information Franklin county in rural, western As of March 4, more than 1.3 makes it possible for us to make regarding the reopening of Gov. Baker’s process for Massachusetts could safely reopen million first doses of the vaccine some adjustments. It doesn’t mean, Massachusetts, visit: https://www. reopening schools in Massachusetts elementary schools. The website have been administered in the state however, that people can or should mass.gov/info-details/reopening- would begin with full-time, in- cites an analysis published by The of Massachusetts, while more than let down their guard. massachusetts. person learning beginning at the New York Times as evidence that 600,000 second and final doses “And it’s also critically elementary school level, with only Franklin county has a low have been administered. important, as we roll this out, that middle schools following in a enough frequency of COVID-19 “Obviously [it’s] great to we make sure we get to every phased reopening approach. cases to meet the guidelines see the data moving in the right community in the Commonwealth,” WWII bomb found near U.K. university Abigail Basile minimal damage. decades after the war, unexploded, buildings. destroyed in a controlled explosion; News Editor Debris was thrown at least 820 which can cause a lot of harm to According to the BBC, the city and Belgrade, Serbia in 2013, feet after the bomb was detonated, nearby communities. of Exeter was heavily attacked by where the bomb was lifted and Students at the University of and residents who were located just Bomb technicians were able German bombers in 19 raids during destroyed in a controlled explosion. Exeter and many residents in the outside of the main exclusion zone to destroy the bomb in a 400-tonne WW2. Over 7,000 bombs were Students at the University of U.K. city of Exeter were evacuated stated that there was a film of sand “box” of sand, according to the dropped in total, with many being Exeter who were evacuated were due to the discovery of an old over cars.