High-Risk COVID List Grows For 3rd Week In A Row

Also: Opening Day, take two; Green New Deal leaders think Biden's climate plans are a good start... kind of ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( April 2, 2021 Good Morning Boston, 🌞 Sunny, with a high near 45. We're still on this pandemic roller coaster and we're climbing up again. (I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get off of this ride.) Though we don't get to decide when it's over, we can change what the rest of the track looks like to make sure the peaks that are left to climb never reach those panic-inducing highs of our previous surges. Hang on and buckle up; here's what you need to know this morning: - The number of cities and towns considered high-risk is climbing again, now up to 55 on the list. It's 23 more communities than last week and it's grown for the third week in a row. There are just under 33,000 active COVID cases across the state, the highest reported in a month. - When it comes to schools, state education officials say more than 1,000 student and school staff have tested positive for COVID in the last week. It's the highest total of the academic year so far, up 15% from the week before. The districts with the largest amount of cases include Barnstable, Boston and Quincy. This comes right as elementary schools across the state will be back in the classroom full-time come Monday, unless a district has received an extension from the state. - This rise in cases doesn't put us in the best spot as we move into an important religious weekend. This Sunday is Easter and the end of Passover. Gov. Charlie Baker is hoping observations of these holidays will look different than in years past in order to avoid the post-holiday spike in infections that followed Thanksgiving and Christmas. To mitigate risks, consider celebrating with only your immediate household, and if you have to spend time – any length of time – with other people, make sure you wear your mask, maintain distance and refrain from sharing food. As always, outside gatherings, if the weather cooperates, are best. If you are indoors, make sure you crack a window to improve airflow. - We've got some good news out of Moderna. The Cambridge-based company said its vaccine can now provide extra doses in each vial. It now contains up to 15 doses, five more than previously. More shots!! The vaccine can also now be kept at room temperature for up to 24 hours, hopefully making it a little easier to distribute. - In non-COVID news: The state has taken another step to reform and increase police accountability. Gov. Baker and Attorney General Maura Healy have named nine people to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. The panel will set up a system to certify police officers and de-certify those who've engaged in misconduct. It's civilian-controlled and will have subpoena power, in addition to the authority to investigate officers or police departments. - Let's try this again: Fans will return to Fenway Park for the first time since 2019 today. Opening Day was originally scheduled for yesterday, but got rained out. At least [the ducks]( had a good time. What does fandom look like during COVID times? Anyone attending the game will be required to wear face masks and fill out a screening form before entering the park. P.S.– The RMV said its system is still down after a malware attack, so you won't be able to get your car inspected through the weekend. Don't worry; RMV officials are asking police to take a little break from ticketing based on expired inspection stickers. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)['Green New Deal' Leaders See Biden Climate Plans As A Victory, Kind Of]( For Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and progressive climate activists, the Biden infrastructure plan shows the influence of the Green New Deal. But they think it's nowhere near big enough. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Mass. 11th Graders Wouldn’t Take MCAS Under Education Commisioner's Plan]( State education officials have previously announced a series of modifications to this year's MCAS program, including shortening the tests for third to eighth graders and postponing the exams until a later point in the spring than they are typically administered. [Read more.]( 3. [Company At Heart Of Ruined J&J Vaccine Doses Has Series Of Citations]( Emergent BioSolutions, a little-known company at the center of the vaccine supply chain has been cited repeatedly by the Food and Drug Administration for problems such as poorly trained employees, cracked vials and mold around one of its facilities, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. [Read more.]( 4. [With Trump Off The Ballot, Republicans Look To Regain Votes In The Suburbs]( Driven by demographic change and increasing diversity, the political leanings of the suburbs have shifted.The question for Republicans and Democrats alike, then, is whether suburban voters move at all back into the GOP tent, with Trump no longer on the ballot. [Read more.]( 5. [Chauvin's Former Supervisor Testifies Restraint Should Have Ended Much Sooner]( "It would be reasonable to put a knee on someone's neck until they were not resisting anymore, but it should stop when they are no longer combative." [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - The science behind COVID vaccines can be tricky to understand, but this [viral TikTok video]( is both funny and straightforward. - At MASS MoCA, artist Glenn Kaino considers the power of collective action in his new exhibition "In the Light of a Shadow." He creates a galaxy of historic social justice movements inspired, in part, by two "Bloody Sundays" in Selma, Alabama and Northern Ireland. [Learn more here.]( - State laws are a patchwork, leaving LGBTQ Americans protected in only a handful of states, writes Juile Allen [in this commentary](. The Equality Act is a necessary step forward, and it’s supported by the majority of Americans. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Listen To 'Let's Do The Time Warp,' A Simmons University Student's Podcast Contest Entry]( [Listen]( VACCINES [What To Know About Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution In Mass.]( Immunocompromised And Concerned About The Vaccine? Here's What You Need To Know. [Read more.]( Low Vaccination Rates Among Latinos Raise Concerns In Chelsea, Ravaged By The Pandemic. [Read more.]( Latest Mass. Map And Case Count: Breaking Down Coronavirus Here In Charts. [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 - The particular torment of dying, now, from Covid-19 ([STAT]( - Lil Nas X, Clapback Champ ([The New York Times]( - America Ruined My Name for Me ([The New Yorker]( Tell Me Something Good [You Can Send NPR Your Mini Poems For National Poetry Month]( Keeping with NPR tradition, they're asking for your original poems — haikus, couplets, freeform, you name it. This year — spoken wordsmiths may be pleased to know — they're adding TikTok to the mix. Before you go: Our friends at 'GBH [won April Fools]( yesterday. 😎 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](