WE KNOW MASSACHUSETTS has a broken local public health system because our organizations represent the thousands of health directors, board of health members, public health nurses, and other staff and volunteers who have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic. Over the past 18 months, our members have been working overtime and then some […]
Carlene Pavlos
Posted inOpinion
Are workplaces as safe as the governor says?
AS THE RATE of COVID-19 infection in Massachusetts has begun rising again, Gov. Charlie Baker claims that the workplace “does not show up as the big driver” of new cases. Given the lack of publicly available data, it is unclear how he can make that claim. Hundreds of organizations came together to advocate for the […]
Posted inOpinion
We can’t accept status quo in public health any longer
LAST WEEK, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law the State Action for Public Health Excellence Act, which is now Chapter 72 of the Acts of 2020. The bill was signed with little fanfare and certainly no public ceremony where legislators and advocates gather for a photo-op with the governor, shake hands, and try to snag […]
Posted inEconomy
Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response leaves too many behind
IT’S BEEN MORE than three weeks since Gov. Baker declared a state of emergency. Despite a number of efforts that have aimed to ensure that groups are not left behind in this rapidly evolving pandemic, we are still far from where we should be. This is a moment of unique opportunity for state policymakers to […]
Posted inOpinion
Slowing the spread of COVID-19 the right way
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC is rapidly evolving. Massachusetts, like the rest of the world, is working to hone its response to this novel coronavirus. State residents have accepted physical distancing, work and school closures, and other measures necessary to slow this disease. Yet for all our efforts to stop Covid-19, the difficult truth is that, in […]
Posted inOpinion
Hospitals tackling health of their neighborhoods
BOSTON’S HOSPITALS are currently collaborating on an exciting new way to identify and address the social and economic challenges facing city residents, creating a potentially powerful way to improve health and promote equity. But in order to deliver on this promise, hospitals will need to stretch further, collaborate on investments, measure impact, and make themselves […]