The Bus, Train And Ferry Services Affected By MBTA Cuts

Also: Boston scales back reopening plan; using voice as a biomarker to screen for illness ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( December 15, 2020 Good Morning Boston, 🌞 Sunny, with a high near 33. ICYMI: Boston is [stepping back its reopening plans]( to help prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed as COVID cases rise. Here's what you need to know: - The changes that go into effect in Boston Wednesday are as follows: ❌ Museums, movie theaters and aquariums will close. ❌ Gyms and fitness centers will be shuttered for "general use," but one-on-one training may continue. ❌ Indoor recreational activities like rock climbing, driving ranges and bowling alleys will shut down. ❗Indoor dining will continue but special approval from the city will be needed to seat people at the bar. - What's different about these restrictions than those in the past is that they are part of a regional effort. Mayors in cities surrounding Boston – Newton, Somerville, Lynn, Brockton, Winthrop, to name a few – will soon order similar restrictions. - Like I said before, these are proactive and preventative measures to help lessen the strain on hospitals. It doesn't mean hospitals have hit their ceiling – but they are starting to fill up. For context, 82% of beds statewide are currently occupied and nearly 1,800 people are currently hospitalized with the coronavirus. And close to 73,000 people in the state have active cases of COVID. - The MBTA voted yesterday to scale back service on buses, trains and ferries in the new year. The service cuts to help fill a "massive budget gap," according to the T, and they are not nearly as drastic as originally proposed. (You can [learn more about what's changing here]( Still, this is tough news for many locals who rely on the T as their main source of transportation. - OK, let's get a dose of good news: Vaccines have [officially arrived]( in Massachusetts. A [96-year-old World War II veteran]( in Bedford became the first VA patient in the country to get the shot. Front-line workers and medical professionals at Boston Medical Center will start getting their shots today or tomorrow. Tufts Medical Center will start administering the vaccine today. Other area hospitals will likely get the vaccine early this week. Check out [these photos]( of vaccination efforts here and across the country. - The state board of elementary and secondary education [votes today]( on the minimum amount of learning time students must have with their teachers. These are emergency regulations for schools' remote and hybrid formats. If passed, it would require 35 hours over 10 school days of live learning for schools in a hybrid format, and 40 hours for schools that are fully remote. Some people think this structure and increased connection will help students feel less isolated; others think it's too long for young children to be in front of screens. - A drive-through testing site is now open in Falmouth at the Barnstable County Fairground for Cape Cod residents. It's appointment only and tests will be priced on a sliding scale as to not turn people away. This is good news for the Cape, which has been asking for more testing options for those living on the other side of the bridge. P.S.– Here's your fun fact to share in today's meetings and Zoom calls: The Toledo Zoo in Ohio just discovered its [Tasmanian Devils glow.]( — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)['In America, Politicians Don't Take Power': Biden Harshly Rebukes Trump Over Election]( On the day electors around the country voted to reaffirm his victory, President-elect Joe Biden also called for unity and healing. [Read more.]( - Related: Biden-Harris Victory, Some Black Voters Say They Can 'Finally Breathe Again']( - Local Angle: [Massachusetts Electors Cast 11 State Votes For Biden, Harris](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Say 'Ahh': New App Uses Voices As Biomarker To Screen For Illness]( "Whether it be respiratory illness or asthma or COVID-19, give us six seconds of voice, and we'll give you a clear indication of what your health symptoms are," says David Liu, CEO of the Boston-based digital medicine company Sonde Health. [Read more.]( 3. [Ex-Aide To Former Fall River Mayor Pleads Guilty In Public Corruption Case]( Genoveva Andrade, 49, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of extortion conspiracy, two counts of extortion, one count of bribery and one count of false statements. [Read more.]( 4. [William Barr To Step Down As Attorney General Before Christmas]( In less than two years on the job, Barr emerged as perhaps the most divisive attorney general in recent memory for a series of controversial actions, including his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Russia investigation and his repeated false claims about the integrity of mail-in voting. [Read more.]( 5. [1st Patients To Get CRISPR Gene-Editing Treatment Continue To Thrive]( At a recent meeting of the American Society for Hematology, researchers reported the latest results from the first 10 patients treated via the technique in a research study. The patients now have been followed for between three and 18 months. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - The pandemic is making the holiday season [not so jolly]( for Santa Clauses. - Attention beer drinkers (or any of my friends and family still looking to get me a Christmas gift): This [gift guide]( has a lot of ideas for the beer geeks in your life and it helps to support local breweries. - WBUR's Simón Ríos had a crazy idea: Sell his mother's house and turn a massive century-old horse barn into a modern abode for her. The tricky part: he took on much of the work himself. He describes for us his [pandemic woodworking journey.]( [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Here & Now | Doctor Suggests Discussing Harm Reduction Instead Of Shaming People During Pandemic]( [Listen]( COVID-19 VACCINE [Mass. Vaccine Rollout Plan Will Be In 3 Phases. Here's When You Could Get Yours]( State-Run Data System Will Track Mass. Vaccine Patients And Remind Them When To Get Their 2nd Dose. [Read more.]( 'The Perfect Storm': How Vaccine Misinformation Spread To The Mainstream. [Read more.]( Pfizer Is Already Producing Millions Of Doses Of Its Vaccine. A Crucial Ingredient Comes From Mass. [Read more.]( Get the latest vaccine news and understand what it means for you. [Sign up for our weekly coronavirus newsletter.]( What We're Reading - How Science Beat the Virus ([The Atlantic]( - D.C. publishes reams of coronavirus data. Some say it brings more questions than answers ([The Washington Post]( Tell Me Something Good [You can join us this Friday for a virtual reading of Charles Dickens' timeless holiday tale "A Christmas Carol."]( You'll hear from WBUR hosts and reporters Meghna Chakrabarti, Tiziana Dearing, Jack Lepiarz, Bob Oakes and Robin Young, with a musical performance by Amory Sivertson and Mike Moschetto. All proceeds will support Rosie's Place. *This event is sponsored by Bearly Read Books, Firestone And Parson Jewelers, and Hood Eggnog. 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