Everett at about %70 vaccinated, school masks requirements in force
By JOSH RESNEK
If you listen to Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karen Polito talk about it, the virus can and has been contained in Massachusetts because the population here is not at odds about being vaccinated and to wear masks and to social distance.
“Our figures are a reflection of the high standards we keep in the state of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents don’t have to be sold on the advantage of paying attention to science over superstition,” Polito told the Leader Herald.
Here in Everett, about 70% of the residents have been vaccinated against the COVID-19, according to Massachusetts Department of Health officials.
This is good but not good enough.
With 30% of the Everett population not vaccinated, a lot of room is left for the COVID-19 virus to find a home and to hang around, and to grow.
If enough spreader-type events take place among those largely unvaccinated, Massachusetts will suffer the consequences as a result.
Across the nation and throughout Massachusetts right now there is a shortage of nurses due to attrition caused by the virus.
School nurses especially have apparently been impacted, according to a CNN report published Monday evening.
The expectation that Everett Public School students would be required to wear masks was very low in July. But then came the sweep of new virus cases throughout the Southern United States and minds were changed.
The efficacy of public school students wearing masks while inside the schools, and their teachers wearing masks seems to make solid medical and scientific sense.
Everett school officials have been dedicated to strict adherence to masks, distancing, and vaccinations.
This is why the city finds itself relatively free of the strong uptick creating tens of thousands of new cases every day in some Southern states where the population is reluctant to get vaccinated or to wear masks.
In fact, the nation is producing 150,000 new cases daily of the COVID-19 virus.
The deviant strain is impacting younger people especially.
As the New York Times wrote Monday: “The virus is going to be around and in abundance for years to come.”