COVID-19

Greater Lawrence Family Health Center Offers COVID-19 Vaccines Thursday in Haverhill

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Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is providing COVID-19 vaccines for parents, all students at least five years old and school staff during this Haverhill school vacation week and one day in March. First, second and booster doses will be available. Those under 18 must have a signed parental consent and are preferred to be accompanied by an adult.

Clinics takes place Thursday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., in the cafeteria of the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School, 685 Washington St., Haverhill. Walk-ins are welcome or registrations are accepted online here.

COVID-19

Greater Lawrence Tech To Lift Mask Mandate After School Vacation Effect is Known

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Greater Lawrence Technical School Committee chose last week modify the district’s school mask mandate, but only after any spikes resulting from school vacation are checked. During its regular meeting, members voted to revise the policy to make masking optional for all students beginning on Monday, March 7. The decision is based on Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley’s statewide school mask mandate would not be renewed after Feb. 28. The ruling was made after consulting with medical experts and state health officials, and considering high vaccination rates and widespread availability of COVID-19 testing for school staff and students.

COVID-19

‘Layered Mitigation’ Marks Haverhill Schools’ Move to ‘Mask Choice’ Beginning Next Week

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Haverhill schools are reassuring parents it is using “layered mitigation strategies” to keep students and staff safe as public schools move to “mask choice” a week from today

As WHAV previously reported, the Haverhill School Committee voted Feb. 10 to support Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan to lift mandated masking as of Feb. 28. Following suit, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education gave cities and towns the option to keep local mandates in place. “Our layered mitigation strategies include millions of dollars in repairs and upgrades to our HVAC systems, air-scrubbers in rooms without windows, dramatically increased nursing and custodial staffing, ongoing social distancing of students to the extent possible in our buildings and free at-home COVID testing kits for those interested,” wrote Superintendent Margaret Marotta in emails to families.

COVID-19

Haverhill Public Health Director Connolly Receives Accolades for Guidance During Pandemic

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(More photographs below.)

During the darkest days of the pandemic, Cedardale Health and Fitness Executive Director Andrew Gunberg didn’t know where to turn for industry-specific COVID-19 restrictions, best practices for contact tracing or other guidelines. Then, he found Haverhill’s Mary Connolly, who has since moved from public health nurse to Haverhill’s public health director. “Mary was always there to help from her end, share what she learned from the DPH (Department of Public Health) and help us guide, help me guide, help my team of directors guide through the pandemic safely and continue to be open and in operation,” Gunberg told a small group, gathered in honor of Connolly Wednesday at Cedardale. Gunberg, who had relocated to Haverhill for the Cedardale job, said he logged more hours on the telephone during the health crisis with Connolly than with his family and friends back home. Because Cedardale is more than a health club, hosting retail and refreshments, he explained it was difficult to navigate through the maze of rules for each type of business.

COVID-19

Podcast: Lawrence General CEO Says Pandemic Brought Needed Health Care Cooperation

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One positive result of the COVID-19 pandemic was a sharing of resources that culminated in the recent agreement between Lawrence General Hospital and Steward Health Care’s Holy Family Hospital and St. Elizabeth. Lawrence General President and CEO Deborah Wilson, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, said the pandemic helped bring about the collaboration. “One of the things about the pandemic, and it was so horrible, and we’ve all been struggling with the recent surge, but one of the things that was really good about the pandemic is that local institutions came together, in very stressful circumstances, to help deal with the patient issues during the pandemic crisis,” she said. Wilson said the partnership between non-profit Lawrence General, and for-profit Steward St.

Beacon Hill News

Rep. Dean Campbell Withholds Full Support for Weakened Veterans’ Homes Reform Bill

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Although she was the original lead sponsor of a bill to reform oversight and governance at state veterans’ homes, Rep. Linda Dean Campbell did not lend her full support to a weakened version that emerged from the House last Thursday. The bill that cleared the House with a 156-1 vote seeks several major changes at the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldiers’ Homes after a deadly COVID-19 outbreak swept through Holyoke nearly two years ago, leading to the deaths of dozens of veterans and spawning multiple independent investigations. Rep. Linda Dean Campbell voted “present” on the bill that was reshaped since she and Sen. Mike Rush filed it last fall. “This is a very different bill than the one that was filed by Sen. Rush and I resulting from the input we received during the special investigation,” Dean Campbell, a Methuen Democrat, said. Its reforms include a new requirement that the top official at each facility hold a license as a nursing home administrator, the launch of a new statewide veteran advocate office and creation of ombudsman roles to oversee operations in Holyoke and Chelsea.

COVID-19

Haverhill Schools Switch to Voluntary, At-Home COVID-19 Self Tests Feb. 17

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Voluntary at-home COVID-19 testing begins for Haverhill public school students and staff next week as the district transitions away from pool testing. As WHAV reported first Jan. 28, the new approach follows a decision by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to allow alternatives to contact tracing, pool testing and the “test and stay” policy. In a Wednesday message to parents, school Superintendent Margaret Marotta explained the significance of the change that begins Thursday, Feb. 17.

COVID-19

UMass Lowell to Pay Volunteers for COVID-19 Tests as Part of Research Project in Haverhill, Lowell

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Update: An earlier version of this story listed Lawrence as a test location based on a flyer sent to WHAV. UMass Lowell, however, said Thursday Lawrence will not host a test site. UMass Lowell researchers are seeking to learn more about COVID-19 and related viruses and will pay volunteers, whether they are well or feeling ill, to participate in a clinical research study. The study, administered at locations in Haverhill and Lowell, seeks to find easier testing approaches. Volunteers receive a $50 gift card for taking 30 minutes to an hour for the test and completing a five-minute follow-up survey two weeks later.