Thread by @TamiGouveiaMA

Government leaders have failed to put the health, well-being & dignity of every resident at the center of our #COVID19 response. Many of us are suffering unnecessarily and every sector is impacted by preventable challenges. 🧵 1/

boston.cbslocal.com/2021/12/22/cov…

This all could have been avoided. Our government leaders could have prioritized the needs of residents rather than protecting special interests and getting lulled into believing that a privatized response would save us. 2/ #mapoli #bospoli

We know how stressed our community members feel, how our nurses & doctors are #burntout, how much our teachers & students want to safely return to the classroom & how worried our parents are for their children and their aging parents, never mind themselves. 3/

@MTA @AFTMass

Our gov’t leaders could have planned for the inevitability of a Winter surge. Instead, the lack of planning, the rise in cases, and the lack of testing supplies are forcing superintendents to cancel school, disrupting families’ lives and livelihoods. 4/

bostonglobe.com/2021/12/31/nat…

Our gov’t leaders could have used #ARPA $$ to support employers who “invested in critical safety measures to keep their doors open while protecting employees and patrons”. @AIMBusinessNews 5/

bizjournals.com/boston/news/20…

Our gov’t leaders could have engaged in contract negotiations with #rapidtest manufacturers months ago to ensure that our residents would have equitable access to #rapidtests and the knowledge they provide about #COVID19 status. 6/

propublica.org/article/this-s…

Stores & online retailers ran out of #rapidtests just as we needed them for the holidays. Supplies will be restocked very slowly. 7/

bostonglobe.com/2021/12/21/nat…

People who need a #PCR test for international travel, or to return to work or school are forced to wait in long lines with people who could have otherwise taken a #rapidtest at home, but due to #rapidtest supply shortages have no other alternative but to get a #PCR test. 8/

And, the state’s plan to provide #rapidtests to schools fell through b/c lack of supply; some schools have already canceled. 9/

boston25news.com/news/state-not…

This is a major disruption to parents, employers, teachers & students – much of which could have been avoided with a comprehensive public health plan. 10/

bostonglobe.com/2021/12/31/nat…

Instead, 21,000+ positive cases (16.44% 7-day positivity rate) & over 1,800 hospitalizations, mostly among the unvaccinated, are straining our hospitals and healthcare workforce. 11/

mass.gov/info-details/c…

#COVID19 viral fragments in samples taken from sewage at Deer Island are at levels never seen before (see graph). The near-vertical line shows how quickly #COVID19 is increasing in sewage through the holidays. 12/

Viral particles in sewage have been an early predictor of the actual number of #COVID19 cases confirmed through testing within 7-10 days. So expect to see thousands more cases next week. 13/

universalhub.com/2021/massachus…

Public health experts predicted rates would climb like this. We know the science, understand human behavior & pay close attention to global trends. This helps us take action to effectively protect public health & prevent human suffering, illness, hospitalization, and death. 14/

I led an open letter signed by 250+ lawmakers, business owners, public health experts, educators & residents calling on @MassGovernor to create a #rapidtest program. @NikDeCostaKlipa @michaelmina_lab /15

boston.com/news/coronavir…

We were ignored. Now Governor Baker is telling us we are “gonna have to be patient on this one”. 16/

boston.com/news/coronavir…

Even though it was Summer & things were looking brighter, our government leaders could (should) have planned for Winter knowing the potential impact of #Omicron & #Delta #variant on all, esp. communities of color, low-income families & increased time indoors. 17/

We highlighted the benefits of #rapidtest systems implemented in other countries. #Rapid tests are easy to self-administer & cheaper than #PCR tests. They provide important knowledge for public health. 18/

@BeccaRauschMA @JimHawkins4Rep @erika4rep @CarmineLGentile @mciccolo

We advocated for #equitable access to info abt benefits of regular #rapidtests, instructions for taking tests & where/how to obtain tests incl. that info must be culturally relevant & translated into multiple languages. 19/

@drmisialek @thearcofmass @Grendels_Den @drphcoalition

If our gov’t leaders had invested in public health disaster planning, had adequately planned for #COVID19 through the Winter, and had prioritized the diverse needs and experiences of our residents, especially residents of color, we could have... 20/

…ensured that residents, teachers, students, municipalities, health centers, employers & small biz had enough FREE #rapid tests to protect health through the predicted surge AND 21/

nbcboston.com/news/local/sta…

@macurry01

…prevented long lines, supply shortages, #COVID19 infection, panic & frustration due to likely school & biz closures. 22/

bostonglobe.com/2021/12/21/nat…

We deserve a government that puts our health, well-being, and dignity at the heart of every decision.

Two years into a global pandemic, this is the least we should expect. End/