Coronavirus – Everett Leader Herald

A year lost is a year lost

Let’s face it, the school year 2020-2021 has been a bust. The pandemic ruined the year.

A year of personalized in-class learning was replaced with video learning. Never have we come to realize just how important in classroom teaching is to our children and the well-being of the Everett Public School System.

The year has essentially gone down the drain.

The disadvantages confronting students and teachers were manifold.

Nothing will be recovered by complaining about the year lost.

A year lost is a year lost. There is no way around minimizing such a loss.

COVID-19 numbers rise, ‘impending doom’ warned

A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a local clinic. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

By JOSH RESNEK

The CDC is warning of “impending doom” if Americans think the virus is over.

Some states have relaxed all their restrictions and that policy is coming back to haunt them.

In Everett, more than 100 new cases were reported last week.

Social distancing and higher health standards augmented by continuing restrictions seem to be taming the monster virus.

Nationally and locally, vaccinations have soared. More than 1/3 of the American population has been vaccinated.

Many millions of people think the danger is over because the worst has passed.

Think again.

Airplane travel is up. It is almost back to half of what it was one year ago meaning about 1.5 million people took air flights daily here and there across the nation during the past week.

State eases public crowd restrictions at stadiums, restaurants

FEBRUARY 27: Woman walk down Broadway at Ferry Street in Glendale Square on. February 27, 2021 in Everett, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Covid-19 cases, deaths dropping but risk remains high

By JOSH RESNEK

Citing declining numbers of new daily cases and hospitalizations, Governor Charlie Baker has rolled back and loosened restrictions which includes allowing indoor performance venues like theaters and concert halls to run at greater capacities.

Also, capacity limits for restaurants have been marginally relaxed.

The adjusted rules and regulations of operation began Monday.

Indoor performance venues like concert halls, theaters, and other indoor performance spaces are allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity, with a limit of 500 people
Indoor, higher-contact recreational activities like laser tag, roller skating, trampolines, and obstacle courses are allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity
Capacity limits across all sectors have been raised to 50 percent, excluding employees
Restaurants do not have a percent capacity limit and are allowed to host musical performances. Measures including 6 feet of social distancing, 6-people-per-table limits, and 90-minute time limits still remain

Liars, age cheaters need to get back in line

By STEPHEN PINTO

Are you aware that people under 65 are lying about having underlying conditions?

Of course, you are.

But what are we to do in a society where it is every man and woman for themselves?

Go into a Walgreens and get vaccinated. No questions asked no proof needed.

Just another reason to have shortages and more importantly, gross, indifferent, scandalous inequities.

I think that’s pretty low on the humanity scale.

Those lining up and faking their way to get a vaccine shot are very likely to be taking a shot away from someone that really needs one.

Living inside a revolution

FEBRUARY 20: The Grace Food Pantry Everett line on a winter morning. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

This pandemic has taken 500, 000 lives and made millions sick.

In one year, the world, our world has changed.

The nation forced to close down for a while. All public schools and universities closed down. Bars and major sporting events with large crowds ceased. Crowds of every kind evaporated. All our great cities became ghost towns with thou- sands of small businesses going out of business overnight. Then came a partial reopening followed by a giant spike in COVID-19 cases across the land and here in Everett.

For a long time, masks weren’t required, science wasn’t paid attention to, and what was bad got worse.