Vaccine Delivery Speeds Up; Biz Curfew Dropped

Also: the latest high-risk report from the state; 6 numbers that show President Biden's greatest challenges ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( January 22, 2021 Good Morning Boston, ⛅ Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 43. President Biden has been quick with the pen his first two days in office. Yesterday, he signed 10 executive actions focused on COVID-19 response. Let's kick off this Friday with a recap: - Biden [signed a series of orders and directives]( that his administration says will start to boost testing, vaccinations, supplies and treatments. One of the actions helps the U.S. treat the response like a "war time undertaking," working to spur production in critical areas like vaccines, N95 masks, gowns, gloves, test supplies and kits, lab analysis machines, and therapeutic drugs. - Other actions include [requiring masks on planes]( buses and in airports, mandating more public data on vaccines and testing, and offering more[guidance to schools]( on reopening. You can [read more about all of the actions here.]( And in local coronavirus news: - The state's weekly coronavirus report came out last night, and there's some interesting information to parse through. Health officials said 222 cities and towns are now considered high risk for the coronavirus – seven fewer than last week. This is the first time that number has dropped since November. There were also fewer active cases estimated and a lower positive test rate, at about 5.5%. - But don't break out the happy dance just yet. Tufts epidemiologist Doctor Shira Doron says those numbers don't mean we are approaching a lull like we saw last summer. The drop is not meaningful enough yet to lessen the strain on hospitals. The other elephant in the room? The highly contagious COVID variant that was found in Massachusetts this week. So while it's great to see numbers reverse their climb for the first time in months, we all must remain extra vigilant. - Beginning Monday, businesses will [no longer need to close at 9:30 p.m](. The curfew has been in place since November. But Gov. Charlie Baker is keeping the 25% capacity cap for at least another two weeks. - PSA: Starting tomorrow, the weekend commuter rail schedule is changing. Only five lines will run – Newburyport/Rockport, Framingham/Worcester, Fairmount, Providence and Middleborough – and direct ferry service between Charlestown and Hingham is temporarily suspended. P.S.– We give you the rundown on the latest coronavirus and vaccine news every day in this email, but if you're looking for more context, analysis and answers to your questions about vaccines specifically, our weekly COVID-19 newsletter is the spot. Plus, my colleague and friend Roberto Scalese, who writes that newsletter, has a gift for explaining complex topics in understandable ways. He's been described by readers as "a knowledgable friend." [Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter and alerts here.]( — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[6 Numbers That Show President Biden's Greatest Challenges]( President Biden is calling for unity to address several current crises, but that will prove difficult in a country as divided as ever. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Vigil Held in Belmont For Black Man Killed In Road Rage Incident]( Henry Tapia, 35, died Tuesday after witnesses say a white man hurled racial slurs at him and then ran him over with a truck after the two argued in the street. [Read more.]( 3. [Vaccine Delivery Speeds Up In Mass.]( Massachusetts is opening coronavirus vaccine clinics to everyone eligible in phase one as of Thursday, a bit sooner than expected. That means home care nurses, therapists and personal care attendants as well as dentists, medical and nursing students and members of the clergy who see patients can now sign up for their first doses. [Read more.]( 4. [Study Finds No Increase In Suicides In Mass. During First Months Of Pandemic]( "We certainly can say that the lockdown period, or stay-at-home period itself, was not associated with a rise [in suicides]. But we don't yet know ... is there a rise that's come about [more recently] because this crisis has extended for such a long period of time?" [Read more.]( 5. [With Biden In Place, The 'Resistance' Tries To Pivot From Defense To Offense]( Now, with Democrats controlling the White House, the House and — by the slimmest possible margin — the Senate, Indivisible has updated its handbook, telling its nationwide network of groups how to be most effective in their advocacy. The goal: turning from resisting one agenda to assisting in shaping a new one. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Winter darkness got you down? A [new light and music installation]( at Boston's Hatch Shell could help. - Amanda Gorman's poetry opened the door and "let everyone in." The 22-year-old poet is the right messenger for this pivotal time in our history, writes January Gill O'Neil [in this commentary.]( - Meet Jen Ellis, the [woman behind Bernie Sanders' Inauguration Day mittens.]( [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Anything for Selena | Episode 3: Birth Of A Symbol]( [Listen]( VACCINE NEWS [Gillette Stadium Is Usually Busy In January. This Year, It's Because Of Vaccines]( What To Know About Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution In Mass. [Read more.]( Medical Professionals, Activists Push Baker To Prioritize Vaccine Access For Minority Communities. [Read more.]( Fenway Park Named As Next COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Site. [Read more.]( 📬 Get the latest on vaccine safety protocols, side effects, local distribution plans & more in your inbox. Sign up for our [coronavirus newsletter and alerts.]( What We're Reading - Therapists Are on TikTok. And How Does That Make You Feel? ([The New York Times]( - I Saw The World On Cruise Ships ([Outside]( - Perspective | The media can be glad for the Biden White House’s return to normalcy. But let’s not be lulled ([The Washington Post]( Tell Me Something Good [NEW MUSIC: Listen To BoriRock Delve Into Lived Experiences On New Album 'It's Me']( Inspired by his family and friends, and with his own personal experiences in mind, the Dorchester rapper is out with 10 new tracks that are worth a listen. Before you go: ["Taters of chaos!"]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all editorial newsletters.]( Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2021 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. You signed up for this newsletter at wbur.org. Our mailing address is: WBUR-FM 890 Commonwealth AveBoston, MA 02215-1205 [Add us to your address book](