MDP WIRE: Falling behind on vaccines.

Massachusetts is Falling Behind on Vaccines

The Baker-Polito vaccine rollout has been sluggish and inconsistent, with local officials begging for more urgency, guidance, and support as Massachusetts falls further behind.

The vaccine only works when we get it into people’s arms. Governor Baker’s vaccine rollout has been slow and disjointed, and it’s dangerous.
- Massachusetts lags behind every other New England state, ranking close to last in administering the doses allotted to the Commonwealth.
- The Baker administration has left local leaders in the dark about the vaccination plan, and health officials are flagging a lack of communication.
- Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark, Congressman Seth Moulton, and Senate President Karen Spilka called for an overhaul of the process.
Baker’s vaccine website is needlessly confusing and difficult to use, leaving many folks 75+ with no way to secure a vaccine appointment.
- Attorney General Maura Healey blasted the website as “way more complicated than it needs to be.”
- State legislators demanded that the Baker administration set up a hotline for folks unable to use the complicated website.
The communities hit hardest by the virus, Black, brown, and immigrant communities, aren’t being prioritized by the Baker administration, and some have to drive hours just to get vaccinated.
- Congresswoman Ayanna Pressely sent a letter to Baker imploring him to address the stark inequities in his vaccine distribution plan.
- State legislators are calling on Baker to expand vaccination options west of Worcester beyond the single site that exists now.
From the beginning, Baker’s COVID response failed communities hit hardest by this virus.
- The Baker-Polito administration held back COVID data by municipality to delay the revelation that communities of color were being disproportionately affected by the virus.
- Baker and his administration are failing to collect required data on race, ethnicity, language, occupation, and disability status of people who test positive for coronavirus.
- Even after nearly 80 veterans lost their lives to COVID in the tragedy at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, the Baker-Polito administration continued to cover up data from nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Throughout the pandemic, Democrats have pressured Baker to act with more urgency, but he drags his feet every step of the way.
- As early in the pandemic as March, Baker’s disastrous testing plan prompted Attorney General Maura Healey to pressure him to increase testing and provide greater transparency.
- Democrats like State Senator Julian Cyr and State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa called on Baker to provide more resources in ‘testing deserts’ on Cape Cod and in Western Massachusetts.
- Springfield’s City Councilors called on the Governor to increase testing to meet the demand in Western Mass.
- Democratic elected officials in south eastern Massachusetts are taking things into their own hands to provide tests for their constituents.
- Local officials begged Baker to take statewide action to stop the spread of COVID, but he ignored those calls and municipal leaders were left to hold the line against the virus. View the statement from MassDems Chair Gus Bickford.
- Even after local leaders and health experts pressured Baker to respond to the rising number of cases, Baker only took modest steps before the second surge. View the statement from MassDems Chair Gus Bickford.

Massachusetts Democrats Send Climate Bill Back to Baker’s Desk

The Massachusetts legislature reaffirmed their commitment to taking bold action against climate change after Baker sided with the real estate lobby and vetoed the Next Generation Roadmap.

We owe our young people an equitable, just, and livable future--and climate change is an existential threat that requires swift and bold action.
- Democrats’ Next Generation Roadmap would make Massachusetts a nationwide leader in climate action with some of the most ambitious carbon emissions targets in the country.
- The bill establishes environmental justice as a priority, tieing climate protections to economic opportunities for the most vulnerable communities in our state.
Baker vetoed the climate legislation to appease his wealthy friends and donors in the real estate industry.
- Baker’s using Republican talking points to force a choice between the economy and climate action, when that’s exactly what the Democrats bill combines.
- Baker continues to show us that special interests have his ear. We’ve seen this before with ROE, police accountability, and the Weymouth compressor.
Governor Baker’s veto of the Next Generation Roadmap doesn’t just delay necessary climate action, it delays justice.
- This isn’t new for Baker, environmental groups blasted him with an F rating in environmental justice in their report card.
- Climate change is an immediate threat, and every second we wait to take action we face even greater consequences.
Massachusetts Democrats rejected the false choice between equitable, economic prosperity and tackling the climate crisis by sending the climate bill back to the Governor’s desk.