Health chief urges caution over holidays; race resumes
A look at coronavirus-related developments around New England:
CONNECTICUT
Workers will go door to door in 10 Connecticut cities starting this spring, urging residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Hartford-based Grossman Solutions will oversee the $2.9 million outreach effort under an agreement with Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration announced Friday.
The program also will promote mobile and pop-up clinics and “work to assist residents in hosting virtual house parties with their friends and neighbors to help ensure residents have the facts about the COVID-19 vaccine and can share their experiences,” the governor’s office said.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health also announced a $5.3 million plan to expand call center services for the state’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line. Access Health CT, a quasi-public state agency, will amend a contract with Faneuil, Inc. to target communities high on the social vulnerability index or SVI.
The door-to-door program will prioritize Black and Latino neighborhoods in Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Hartford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, Bristol and Meriden, according to job postings on Grossman Solutions’ website.
MAINE
Health officials in Maine reported five additional deaths and more than 200 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.
The state CDC said 78 people are currently hospitalized with the virus.
Maine has said 736 deaths and nearly 50,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic
started.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine has risen over the past two weeks, to 196 on March 25, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
MASSACHUSETTS
Saturday marked the start of an effort to get more teachers in the state vaccinated against COVID-19.
WCVB-TV reports K-12 teachers and staff and child care workers were prioritized for first-dose appointments at Massachusetts’ seven mass vaccination sites.
The station says it’s the first of four scheduled days meant to support President Joe Biden’s directive to states to prioritize teacher vaccinations.
The state’s education commissioner has ordered school districts to shift to in-person classes five days a week by April 5. Many have been conducting classes remotely or with a combination of remote and in-person learning throughout the pandemic.
A coalition of Black and other parents of color planned to rally at the Massachusetts State House Saturday to protest the reopening order, which they say will have a disproportionately negative impact on minority and immigrant
families.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
One of the first big events to be canceled in the state because of the coronavirus pandemic will be back this weekend.
About 3,000 runners and walkers were expected to take place in the Citizens Bank Shamrock Half Marathon in Manchester on Saturday and the 2-mile Shamrock Shuffle on Sunday, with significant safety precautions in place. Instead of everyone starting at once, runners will start two at a time every 10 seconds.
“We are ready to charge forward,” Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said. “And it’s races like this when we can be outside, get some exercise, fresh air and be together in a safe way that really makes a difference.”
The event is expected to raise about $10,000 for the New Hampshire Food Bank.
RHODE ISLAND
State health officials announced Saturday that about 1,000 appointments will open up at the state’s mass vaccination site in South Kingstown.
The state Department of Health said the new appointments will become available for booking at VaccinateRI. org starting on Saturday evening.
The slots are for appointments Monday. State officials made 9,000 appointments available Friday at the state’s other four mass vaccination sites: Cranston, Middletown, Providence and Woonsocket.
The Woonsocket site opens Sunday at a former Sears store.
The vaccines are currently available for people between the ages of 60 to 64, people who are 16 to 64 with certain underlying health conditions, and for those who were previously eligible in Phase 1 of the rollout, health officials said.
VERMONT
Vermont’s health commissioner is urging people to be careful during Passover, Easter and Ramadan.
Dr. Mark Levine acknowledged many people are likely looking forward to spending time with family and friends after they were discouraged from doing so during Christmas and New Year.
But he stressed that anyone who is not yet vaccinated should limit their social interactions to one other unvaccinated household at a time.
He also said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to urge people to avoid nonessential travel. Anyone who does travel and is not vaccinated needs to quarantine upon their return for 14 days or for seven days and then get a negative COVID-19 test.
Fully vaccinated people can gather freely two weeks after their final dose, Levine said.