Long Lines at JP Testing Center, MA Reports Highest # of Daily Cases, Hospitalizations Past Threshold, BPS Hands Out Test Kits

With the omicron variant running rampant causing COVID-19 cases to peak again, testing centers such as the Anna Cole Community Center are seeing very, very long lines. Even before Christmas, Massachusetts reported, by far, it's highest amount of positive cases during the pandemic with 10,997, according to worldometer. In Jamaica Plain, people were lined up well before the Anna Cole Community Center in Jackson Square was open on Sunday and Monday. As of Tuesday night, Boston.gov listed operation hours for the Anna Cole Center as: Sunday noon to 3 pm, on Monday and Thursday 2 to 7 pm, and 3 to 7 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also, the center will be closed Dec.

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Chang-Díaz Wants Case Study of Curley School Situation; Elugardo Advocating to Reverse State’s Decision

Currently, Boston Public Schools' leadership plans for Curley School students, staff, and faculty, to return to in-person learning on Nov. 22 due to a school-wide COVID outbreak. But Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey Riley decided that only four days of remote learning would count to the required 180 school days per school year. Riley explained his reasoning in Nov. 11 letter to Acting Mayor Kim Janey, Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson, and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius.

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Curley School Stopping In-Person Learning for 10 Days Due to COVID

Due to a rise in COVID cases, the Curley K-8 School will not hold in-person learning for 10 days starting Wednesday. The Boston Public Health Commission advised the school to switch from in-person learning, according to an email sent to the Curley community. As of now, the plan is for the school to reopen Monday, Nov. 22. Boston Public Schools held a community meeting about the rapid spread of the Coronavirus in the Curley School on Monday evening.

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COVID-19 Outbreaks at Two Jamaica Plain Elementary Schools

The Curley K-8 School and the Joseph P. Manning Elementary School have both had outbreaks of COVID-19 this week. The Curley K-8 community received an email around 5:30 pm today saying "that 24 members of the Curley K-8 community recently accessed the building and tested positive for COVID-19." The email said school officials are working closely with the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), and due to the advice of the BPHC "one or more individuals are now in quarantine and have been provided with specific next steps according to their situation..." The email did not provide information about whether those who tested positive are students, faculty, or staff. This news comes on top of the Manning School having 16 confirmed cases in a school of 175 students, according to WBUR.

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First Baptist Continues to Fight Hunger with $100,000 Grant

The First Baptist Church recently received a $100,000 grant from Mass General Brigham to grow its sit down meals and food deliveries service. When COVID hit, First Baptist could no longer provide meals inside its location, said Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird. "We said, let's deliver to them. It was two meals a week, which quickly became three meals," said Wiest-Laird. Soon they were providing three meals a week up to 300 households in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Roslindale, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and more.

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