The State's Vaccine Preregistration Site Is Live

Also: Biden says all adults should be eligible for a vaccine by May 1; Baker faces off with the teachers' unions ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( March 12, 2021 Good Morning Boston, 🌞 Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 61. Ready for the weekend? Get in line. Literally and figuratively, based on today's news. Here's what you need to know: - The [state's website to preregister]( for a vaccine appointment is up and running this morning. Here's the deal: Gov. Charlie Baker wants only people who are eligible to sign up right away so they can get a time slot ASAP (and ideally avoid the system crashing). But ultimately, anyone can register – even if you're not currently eligible. It doesn't necessarily put you at the front of the line when your group is up, according to Baker, but it puts you in the queue. - So when will it be your turn to get a vaccine? Last night, President Biden said he wants all Americans to be eligible to get a vaccine –meaning get in line, not necessarily get your shot – by May 1 so that way the country can ["mark independence"]( from the coronavirus by July 4th. Baker said he welcomes this call, but in order for Massachusetts to meet the May 1 deadline, he'll need an increase in vaccine supply from the federal government (something Baker has been pleading for every single week). The Baker administration is aiming to make all adults eligible some time next month. - A new report shows there are disparities in vaccination rates among communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Take Lawrence, for example. About 82% of the city's population is Hispanic, but only 2% have received at least one dose of the vaccine. For Lawrence's white population, nearly half have received their first shot. - A look at the state's weekly coronavirus report: A little more than a dozen communities are considered high risk for the coronavirus. Six were removed from the designation, including Haverhill and Peabody, and three were added. When it comes to active infections statewide, there are just under 26,000 – the lowest number reported in four months. - Baker and teachers' unions are at odds right now and [things are getting ugly](. The union wants teachers to be vaccinated at schools and through local programs, but Baker said the dedicated days for educators at mass vaccination sites (and availability through pharmacies) is enough. His administration wrote a strongly worded press release yesterday, stating, "Diverting hundreds of thousands of vaccines to an exclusive, teacher-only distribution system would deny the most vulnerable and the most disproportionately impacted residents hundreds of thousands of vaccines." The union called that statement "untrue and defamatory." - PSA: Massachusetts residents who are fully vaccinated are [no longer]( subject to the state's test-or-quarantine travel requirements, as long as it has been more than 14 days since their final dose. (Add this to the list of reasons I'm ready to roll up my sleeve and get my shot!) And for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, it's now [OK to visit indoors]( with nursing home residents. P.S.– We want to hear how the state's vaccine preregistration system goes for you this morning. What was your experience? Do you have any concerns about how it all works? Share with us by [filling out this form]( or replying to this email. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[A Triple-Decker For The 21st Century: Airtight And Solar-Powered]( Older buildings, including three-deckers, will require "deep energy retrofits" for the state to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Biden Sets Goal Of July 4th To 'Mark Independence' From Coronavirus]( Part of that confidence is rooted, Biden said, in projecting that all Americans will be eligible to get a vaccine by May 1. As part of that expansion, the White House will make shots available at more pharmacies and federally run mass vaccination centers. [Read more.]( - Update: [Moderna And Pfizer On Track To Hit Vaccine Production Goals]( - Poll: [Majority Approves Of Biden's Handling Of Pandemic, NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll Finds]( 3. [Little Difference In Vaccine Hesitancy Among White And Black Americans, Poll Finds]( Among those who responded to the survey, 73% of Black people and 70% of White people said that they either planned to get a coronavirus vaccine or had done so already; 25% of Black respondents and 28% of white respondents said they did not plan to get a shot. Latino respondents were slightly more likely to say they would not get vaccinated at 37%, compared to 63% who either had or intended to get a vaccine. [Read more.]( 4. [Children Spend Days In Crude Facilities As U.S. Border Resources Overwhelmed Again]( The Department of Homeland Security documents show that more than 3,400 children were in custody as of earlier this week and that the number of children being referred to Health and Human Services is growing almost three times faster than social workers are able to find appropriate homes for the children. [Read more.]( 5. [N.Y. Assembly To Open Impeachment Investigation On Gov. Cuomo]( A woman who works as an aide to Cuomo says the governor aggressively groped her in the governor's official residence late last year, making her at least the sixth woman to accuse him of inappropriate sexual conduct. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Most people in the live music industry were ecstatic when Congress passed the bipartisan Save Our Stages Act in December. It's March now, and the website for businesses to apply for much-needed grants isn't up and running yet. Applications are now [expected to open in April.]( - A [new public art installation]( at the Prudential Center aims to inspire joy. - The Golden Globes labeled "Minari" a foreign language film, not qualified for "Best Motion Picture," because it contains too much Korean dialogue. What is American enough? asks Rosann Tung [in this commentary.]( [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Here & Now | New 'Super-Earth' Discovery Could Teach Scientists About Life On Other Planets]( [Listen]( VACCINES [Clinical Trials, Speed And Special Technology: Developing The COVID Vaccines]( What To Know About Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution In Mass.[Read more.]( Here's Why COVID-19 Vaccines Are Safe. [Read more.]( Asked & Answered: Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions.[Submit questions here.]( 📬 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 - As a 9-year-old, she was saved at sea. 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