►
From YouTube: COVID-19 Media Availability 2-18-21
Description
Mayor Walsh hosts a media availability to discuss updates relating to COVID-19.
A
I'm
going
to
provide
a
weather,
update
a
cover,
19
update
and
then
I'm
gonna
make
an
announcement
today
regarding
equity
city
in
city,
contracting
chief
martinez
will
provide
additional
health
information
and
take
questions
for
that
portion
and
then
I'll
introduce
some
other
folks
that
helped
me
today,
first
and
foremost,
a
winter
winter
weather
advisory
is
in
effect
through
7
pm.
Tomorrow
evening,
the
national
weather
service
is
forecasting
anywhere
between
6
and
8
inches
of
snow
in
boston
starting
early
this
evening.
A
It
will
impact
travel
conditions
this
evening,
as
well
as
tomorrow,
tomorrow
morning's
commute,
the
public
works
department
is
out
there
we'll
have
100
pieces
of
equipment
on
the
road
this
evening
with
more
ready
ready
to
go
if
necessary.
I
know
that
when,
as
you're
watching
the
news
tonight,
the
weather
forecast
has
been
that
it's
going
to
be
over
an
extended
period
of
time,
an
inch
two
inches
throughout
the
course
of
night
and
we'll
get
accumulation
of
total
six
to
eight
at
the
end
of
all
the
storms.
A
We
have
thirty
thousand
tons
of
salt
on
hand
right
now
in
the
city
of
boston,
so
we're
asking
people
to
avoid
roads
if
possible,
use
caution
when
you're
traveling
make
sure
you
go
slow
residents
and
business
owners
be
careful
when
you're
out
there.
We
want
to
remind
people
to
shovel
their
sidewalks,
clear,
crosswalks
and
fire
hydrants
if
the
accumulation
gets
too
high
and
to
check
on
your
neighbors
who
may
need
help
as
you
shovel
out
from
this
storm.
A
I
appreciate,
as
always,
everyone's
cooperation
in
doing
the
work
that
we
need
to
get
done
here
in
the
city
as
we
also
as
we
deal
with
winter
weather
here
in
boston.
Our
thoughts
and
prayers
are
going
out
to
the
people
in
texas
facing
severe
cold
and
power
outages,
something
that
they're
not
used
to
in
texas.
A
I
was
on
a
call
earlier
today
with
some
mayors
from
around
the
country
and
the
texas
mayors
were
on
there,
some
of
them
and
we're
just
talking
about
the
conditions
that
they're
trying
to
navigate
through
the
latest
state,
covert
and
city
covert.
19
update
the
state
numbers
as
of
yesterday,
which
is
wednesday.
We
had
1
322
new,
confirmed
cases.
There
were
55
confirmed,
covet
death
reported
in
boston.
A
Our
numbers
in
boston
are,
as
of
today,
201
new,
confirmed
cases,
our
total
cases
since
the
beginning
of
covet
fifty
seven
thousand
three,
fifty
seven
thousand
and
thirty
one.
We
had
five
new
deaths
reported
today,
bringing
our
total
to
one
thousand
two
hundred
and
forty
one.
Our
hearts
go
out
to
the
families
who
lost
loved
ones
throughout
this
pandemic
and
also
folks
that
are
still
battling
with
the
illness,
we're
praying
for
you
and
your
families.
A
The
latest
complete
data
for
the
week
of
ending
february
11th,
the
seven
day
average
for
daily
positive
cases
was
209.
That's
down
from
13
from
the
week
before
daily
new
cases
have
continued
to
go
down
since
early
january.
So
we've
seen
a
steady
decline
now
for
about
a
month,
our
community
positivity
rate.
Last
week.
For
that
week
I
should
say
4.2
percent,
that's
below
our
five
percent
threshold
in
the
lowest
positivity
that
we've
seen
since
october.
So
we're
definitely
I'm
grateful
to
see
these
numbers
going
in
the
right
direction.
A
Rates
went
down
last
week
in
every
single
neighborhood
across
the
city,
and
every
neighborhood
now
is
below
eight
percent.
That's
all
great
news.
Our
testing
for
the
week
ending
february
11th,
an
average
of
4263
bostonians,
were
tested
for
covet
each
day.
That's
up
three
percent
over
the
previous
week
and
does
not
include
college
testing,
so
our
testing
was
up.
Our
positivity
rate
was
down.
Those
trends
are
the
ones
that
we
want
to
see
to
continue
as
we
continue
to
get
people
tested.
So
I'm
asking
everyone
again
to
continue
to
get
tested.
A
A
Currently,
our
mobile
testing
sites
are
in
jamaica,
plain
at
the
anacolle
community
center
in
the
military
haley
apartments.
This
is
a
walk-up
site,
no
appointment
or
registration
is
required
and
the
lines
do
move
fairly
quickly
in
high
park
at
the
boston
renaissance
charter
school.
This
is
a
drive-through
site
and
requires
an
appointment
in
dorchester
at
prince
hall.
Grand
lodge.
A
A
We're
asking
people
to
continue
to
wear
masks
when,
if
possible,
when
possible,
wear
two
masks:
practice
social,
distancing,
physical,
distancing,
wash
your
hands
with
soap
and
warm
water
and
we're
asking
continue
to
disinfect
surfaces.
I
know
that
it's
become
a
habit
now
we're
automatically
doing
it,
but
we
don't
want
you
to
see
you
let
your
guy
down
for
a
second
and
then
have
a
problem
with
the
virus.
A
A
A
617-343-5500
as
far
as
vaccines
go,
we
continue
to
work
with
the
state
on
the
rollout
yesterday,
the
governor
announced,
as
of
today
65
year
olds,
an
old
65
year
old
or
older,
who
has
two
or
more
qualifying
medical
conditions
are
now
eligible.
We
are
pleased
that
moderate
and
severe
asthma
are
included
as
a
list
of
conditions.
A
A
The
boston
housing
authority
is
working
with
the
city
and
the
state
to
set
up
on-site
clinics
for
residents
in
elderly
or
disabled
public
housing
dates
will
be
announced
as
soon
as
they
are
ready.
In
addition,
everyone
in
phase
one
continues
to
be
eligible
if
you
have
not
been
vaccinated.
Yet
that
includes
health
care
workers
first
responders
and
residents
and
staff
in
long-term
care
and
congregate
congregate
care
settings
for
a
full
update
of
sketches
for
full,
updated
schedule.
You
can
visit
mass.gov
covid
vaccine.
A
I
know
that
the
state
appointment
website
and
call
center
were
down
earlier
today.
We
stand
ready
to
help
any
way
we
can,
and
I
think
and
I'm
not
didn't
get
the
confirmation
on
it,
but
I
think
it
was
down
because
of
the
volume
that
was
going
into
the
system
today,
and
I
had
a
conversation
with
the
governor
earlier
today-
we're
talking
about
making
sure
that
we
make
vaccines
eligible
and,
if
not
eligible,
but
available
for
people
that
need
them.
A
We're
doing
targeted
outreach
to
the
communities
through
city
departments,
community
health,
centers
and
non-profits.
Anyone
65
or
older.
Having
trouble
can
call
3-1-1
and
get
connected
to
the
city's
age,
strong
commission.
So
anyone
that's
65
or
older,
if
you're
having
problems
with
any
type
of
getting
connected
to
an
appointment.
We're
asking
you
to
call
the
age
strong
commission
here
in
the
city
of
boston,
3-1-1,
there's
no
membership
requirement.
This
is
why
we
have
the
office
set
up.
A
A
A
10
sites
are
taking
registrations
from
any
eligible
boston
resident
right
now
that
includes
the
reggie
lewis
center
in
roxbury
fenway
park,
several
sites
operated
by
community
health
centers
and
in
partnership
with
the
boston
medical
center
there's
another
14
sites
operated
by
community
health,
centers
and
hospitals
that
are
reaching
out
to
their
own
patients,
who
are
eligible.
So
some
of
the
health
centers
are
reaching
out
to
patients
their
own
patients
that
are
that
are
eligible
for
this
vaccine.
A
There's
also
eight
pharmacy
locations,
including
walgreens
and
cvs
in
various
neighborhoods
throughout
the
city
of
boston,
as
we
continue
to
to
get
more
and
more
doses,
we'll
you'll
start
to
see
more
and
more
places
where
you'll
be
able
to
get
vaccinated.
As
we
move
forward
and
marty
martinez
can
talk
a
little
bit
about
some
of
the
outreach
and
what
we're
planning
on
in
the
future.
Here
the
weather
may
affect
some
sites.
Tomorrow
providers
will
be
working
to
reschedule
any
appointments
that
get
cancelled
for
information
about
vaccine
access
in
boston,
including
a
map
of
sites.
A
Please
visit
boston,
dot,
gov,
slash
covert,
19
vaccine,
that's
boston,
dot,
gov,
slash
covert,
19
vaccine
and
any
information
that
you're
looking
for
the
sites
to
register.
It's
mass.gov
covert
vaccine.
I
know
I'm
giving
you
a
lot
of
information,
you
can
simply
call
311
and
ask
the
call
taker
and
we
can
get
you
all
the
right
websites
and
the
right
numbers
to
call
on
how
to
get
vaccinated.
A
A
A
We've
created
our
office
of
economic
development
by
putting
diverse
local
businesses
at
the
heart
of
our
growth.
We've
created
the
office
of
new
of
office
of
small
business
and
equity
and
inclusion
to
drive
all
of
this
work.
We've
expanded
everything
from
technical
assistance
to
capital,
access
in
service,
tailored
to
diverse
cultures.
In
our
city
we
create
an
economic
development
center
to
bring
small
businesses,
business
resources
and
training
to
our
neighborhoods
and
ethnic
communities
on
city
contracting,
and
this
is
at
the
work
of
emma
handy,
the
city
cfo.
A
We
establish
equitable
procurement
plans
for
every
single
department
that
has
them
now
that
did
not
exist
before
I
was
the
mayor
of
boston,
we've
trained
city
employees
to
do
proactive,
marketing
and
outreach.
We've
done
that
in
the
last
couple
of
years,
we've
created
pathways
to
city
contracting
series
to
help
residents
learn
about
opportunities
to
do
business
in
the
city
of
boston
and
over
the
past
year,
our
city
spending
with
minority
women
owned
businesses,
has
increased
dramatically.
A
A
We
knew
going
into
the
study
that
the
results
were
not
going
to
be
good
because
we've
been
talking
about
it
for
the
last
seven
years.
We
knew
that
deep
inequities
exist
in
contracting
here
in
the
city
of
boston,
but
the
study
gives
us
a
detailed
road
map
and
a
legal
tool,
the
most
important
part,
a
legal
tool
to
attack
those
inequities
at
the
root.
A
A
This
afternoon
I
signed
an
executive
order
to
turn
our
data
to
those
communities,
voices
into
city
policy.
The
order
set
new
goals
for
diversity
in
contracting
and
procurement,
given
the
conditions
and
recommendations
set
out
in
the
study
in
the
recommendations
were
lower
than
what
we
actually
signed
into
order
today.
The
recommendations
were
17.
A
The
order
also
bills
reporting
requirements
into
our
annual
budget
process,
to
measure
our
progress
and
uphold
accountability
and,
more
importantly,
it
creates
a
supply
diversity
program
to
oversee
and
advance
this
work
funded
by
a
two
million
dollar
investment.
This
is
the
most
structural
reform
city
contracting
has
had
in
over
a
generation.
A
I
want
to
acknowledge
the
complaints
that
were
filed
by
and
based
on
the
findings
of
our
disparity
study.
That
will
require
further
conversations,
but
I
want
to
make
it
clear.
Today
we
launched
the
study
we
knew
we
were
using
the
study
as
a
powerful
tool
to
make
the
changes
needed
and
to
make
them
effective
and
sustainable.
That's
why
we
did
the
study
in
the
very
beginning.
A
A
Reversing
decades
of
inequality
requires
thoughtful
collaboration
and
rigorous
work.
The
last
disparity
study
in
the
city
of
boston
was
in
2003..
That
study
led
to
closing
of
a
diversity
program
which
was
a
step
backwards.
Our
disparity
studies,
having
the
opposite
impact.
We
are
using
it
to
create
supply
diversity
program
here
in
the
city.
A
We
all
agree
that
our
city
still
has
lots
of
work
to
do,
and
equitable
access
to
city
contracting
and
growing
business
opportunities
for
black,
the
black
community,
the
latino
community
in
the
asian
community
and
for
women.
We
have
not
shied
away
from
this
challenge
and
we
do
not
intend
on
shying
away
from
the
challenge
today.
We
have
tackled
it
head-on
and
we
work
with
the
affected
communities
every
step
of
the
way
and
will
continue
to.
A
A
This
is
something
very
easily
that,
as
a
city,
we
could
have
just
put
away
and
not
dealt
with.
It,
wasn't
fair
for
the
next
administration
who's
going
to
come
into
city
hall
and
not
have
a
road
map
on
how
to
turn
it
around
what
this
does
today.
It
gives
a
road
map
and
there
are
great
people
here
in
the
city
of
boston
that
can
continue
to
work
on
this
issue,
as
we
continue
to
move
forward.
B
I
also
want
to
talk
about
the
work
we've
done
before
we
got
here.
We've
been
focusing
on
equitable
procurement
since
day
one.
We
started
a
new,
equitable
procurement
process,
where
every
single
contract,
every
single
purchase
that
the
city
makes
has
to
include
affirmative
marketing
to
a
certified
vendor.
Does
it
matter
if
the
procurement
is
50
or
5
million
departments
have
to
work
with
our
office
of
equity
and
inclusion
to
find
qualified
vendors
that
are
certified
for
each
of
those
procurements.
B
At
the
city
last
year
we
were
able
to
host
over
500
business
owners,
both
in
person
and
then
online
when
we
had
to
pivot
following
covid
and
we've
made
sure
to
remain
accessible
through
our
weekly
mwbe
office
hours
every
wednesday
from
eleven
to
one
so
that,
whether
we're
in
person
or
virtual
we're
there
for
our
local
businesses
in
that
time.
Through
those
efforts,
we've
seen
our
city
spending
with
minority
and
women-owned
businesses
steadily
increase.
B
We
went
from
five
percent
in
fy
20
to
7
percent
in
fy,
I'm
sorry
in
fy,
19
to
seven
percent
in
fy,
20
and
so
far
in
fy
21
in
the
first
two
quarters
we're
at
an
average
of
11
spending
with
minority
and
women
owned
businesses.
B
But
we
know
we're
just
getting
started
and
we
know
that
only
counts.
Those
businesses
that
are
certified
as
women
are
minority
owned.
So
now
that
we
have
the
disparity
study
in
place
and
now
that
we
can
legally
move
towards
race
and
gender
conscious
goals,
we
invite
all
of
the
businesses
in
the
boston
area,
women-owned
businesses,
minority-owned
businesses,
to
contact
us
to
get
certified
as
a
woman
or
minority
owned
business.
So
we
can
affirmatively
include
you
in
all
of
our
contracting
large
and
small
prime
and
sub.
Anyone
is
welcome
and
there's
opportunities
for
absolutely
everyone.
B
Sorry,
the
week
of
march
1st,
on
march
3rd
and
march
5th,
we'll
be
hosting
three
community
briefings
on
the
disparity
study,
where
we
can
share
the
results
and
next
steps
and
those
will
be
available
on
zoom
in
five
different
languages
with
live
interpretation
we'll
also
be
recording
them
for
folks
that
can't
make
it.
Thank
you
so
much.
A
And
if
anyone
has
any
questions
on
the
supply,
diversity
or
the
executive
order
after
the
press
conference,
you
can
contact
nick
martin,
the
communications
director
and
we'll
get
you
all
the
information
that
you
need
with
that.
Now,
I'm
going
to
turn
the
floor
over
to
mighty
martinez
who
will
take
any
questions
regarding
covet,
19
or
vaccines
or
testing,
or
anything
about
that.
C
Thanks
mayor,
so
the
final
thing
that
I
would
just
add
to
the
work
that
we've
done
is
the
city
continues
to
you
know,
support
our
residents
and
engaging
community
coalitions
to
be
able
to
create
access
to
the
vaccine
and
ensure
that
we
can
do
the
work.
We
continue
this
week
to
hold
500
slots
at
the
reggie
lewis
center
to
create
local
access
in
neighborhoods
for
community
groups,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that
as
we
continue
to
make
sure
that
folks
get
access
as
needed.
D
C
C
C
So
that's
important,
but
obviously
it
impacted
the
website
which
is
tough
and
challenging,
and
we
know
they're
working
on
it.
You
know,
we've
said
along
all
along
we're
going
to
work
with
the
state
partner
with
the
state,
make
sure,
there's
local
access
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that.
So
bostonians
can
get
vaccinated
and
we
can
get
past
pascovid.
C
Yeah
the
question
is:
what
are
the
biggest
challenges
for
the
vaccine
rollout
in
boston?
From
the
city's
perspective?
I
think
it's
a
couple
things
one
is
supply.
You
know
the
state
keeps
saying
it
and
I'm
going
to
say
it
locally.
I
mean
it'd
be
great.
If
we
had
more
supply
of
vaccines,
we
had
more
supply.
We
could
have
more
access
points
so
that
people
could
get
vaccinated
and
we'd
have
likely
more
people
eligible,
which
is
important,
so
one
is
supply.
C
I
mean,
I
think,
there's
been
you
know,
sometimes
there's
misinformation
about
the
vaccine
or
misinformation
that
comes
out
about
sites
that
don't
have
doses
or
sites
that
have
this
or
that
I
think
that
misinformation,
although
it's
searching
for
facts,
leads
people
to
question
information
leads
people
to
question,
even
things
that
aren't
factually
accurate.
So
I
think
that's
concerning
to
me
and
I
want
to
make
sure
we
continue
to
promote
that
and
provide
accurate
information,
so
we
can
make
sure
more
bostonians
are
getting
vaccinated.
E
C
C
Case
data
has
shown
us
that
cases
are
going
down,
positivity
is
going
down,
testing
is
leveled
off,
which
is
which
is
still
good
and,
to
be
honest,
hospitalizations
have
also
come
down
we're
about
under
150,
coveted,
positive
patients
in
boston,
that's
about
300
less
than
we
were
maybe
six
to
eight
weeks
ago.
So
we've
definitely
seen
a
decrease.
It's
moving
in
the
right
direction,
which
is
really
important.
All
along
we've
led
through
data
we've.