Here's where you're most likely to get COVID
Here's where you're most likely to get COVID
Good morning Red Sox Nation,
Where’s the one place in Massachusetts where you are statistically most susceptible to contracting COVID-19?
At home.
It was true early in the pandemic. And it’s still true now, according to the most recent Department of Public Health data.
Last month, 96% of the state’s 6,824 new COVID clusters (defined as two or more confirmed cases with a common exposure) developed in households, reports Benjamin Kail at MassLive
That was basically the same story in November of 2020, when 91% of the state’s 10,562 clusters stemmed from home. Same story seven months ago when the March 4 cluster report traced 96% of 36,140 clusters to households.
Just 35 of the state’s 6,824 new clusters were traced to restaurants, coffee shops, bars and food courts in September. That’s less than preschools (83 clusters) and long-term care facilities like nursing homes (68), Kail adds.
Meanwhile, DPH reported that zero COVID clusters began in offices last month.
Repeating that: zero clusters in offices.
Other settings tracked by the state — including industrial workplaces, hospitals, dentists, retail stores, homeless shelters, gyms, places of worship and hotels — saw between one and eight clusters last month.
But then there’s Harvard epidemiologist Stephen Kissler who tells the Globe we can gather safely with family for the holidays, providing everyone is vaccinated and takes at-home rapid antigen tests right before gathering.
Also from the Globe, here’s what you need to know about at home tests.
Slowly but surely some office workers returning
Although Greater Boston was not included in this study, office-building use has been slowly rising nationwide, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The number of workers returning to traditional office space has been edging higher since the week of Labor Day, when an average of 31% of the workforce was back in the 10 major cities monitored by Kastle Systems.
That average was 35% during the week that ended Oct. 1.
We're still a long way from the fall return to office we expected, but increasingly hybrid uses of office spaces is trickling up.
Needham looks at a quieter commuter rail
A years-long efforts to relieve Needham of the ear-piercing blare of commuter rail horns (not an exaggeration) is getting a renewed push due to efforts from a neighborhood group called Safer Quieter Needham.
The group wants the town to establish a “quiet zone” in town where horns are not used except in the case of an emergency.
Twenty-eight municipalities in Massachusetts currently have quiet zones approved by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Doing something similar in Needham would require an investment in costly new safety measures explains Colman M. Herman for CommonWealth.
If Needham decides to install quiet zones, gets the approvals and finds the funds, Needham Select Board member Dan Matthews predicts it will take at least five years to implement.
Newton’s commuter rail stations on tonight’s agenda
Here's another worthy project that will take years: The MBTA will hold a virtual public meeting tonight (Oct. 13) at 6 p.m. to discuss a proposal to improve accessibility at the three commuter rail stations in Newton.
The proposed changes would -- at long last -- add platforms to provide inbound and outbound service at the same time, a situation that created unacceptable swaths of hours without two-way train service in Auburndale, West Newton and Newtonville. Meeting details
‘Silent majority’ recognizes need for more housing
While opponents to new housing are often the loudest at municipal meetings, a new Manhattan Institute-Echelon Insights survey of Greater Boston residents tells a different story.
Two hundred residents were asked their thoughts about the state of housing in the region. Just 14 percent of respondents rated current housing affordability as good or very good – the lowest rating among all the 20 metro regions surveyed, writes Joshua McCabe in a CommonWealth op-ed.
Sixty-seven percent reported that they were concerned or extremely concerned about the cost of housing. Housing topped all other issues, including taxes, public safety, school quality, and even COVID-19, on the public radar.
SBA grant program expanded
Last week the SBA began taking applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million.
The loan term is 30 years with a fixed interest rate of 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for private nonprofits. Payments are deferred for the first two years (interest will accrue), and payments of principal and interest are made over the remaining 28 years. There’s no prepayment penalty.
The EIDL program is set to expire at the end of 202, leaving just a few months for small-business owners to take advantage of this program, writes Andy Medici for the Business Journals.
But loans don't help if your tapped out
Medici notes that not all industry sectors will find EIDL program helpful.
“Loans have never been and never will be the solution for neighborhood restaurants and bars,” said Erika Polmar, executive director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “Restaurant and bar operators exhausted all personal and business savings just trying to keep their businesses afloat.”
Polmar is pushing for Congress to replenish the Restaurant Relief Fund, which was quickly exhausted earlier in 2021 with tens of billions of dollars in applications denied due to lack of funds.
The plea comes as experts worry that this summer’s restaurant rebound was “an artificial sugar rush.”
This SBA program is for everyone
Just added to our calendar: Join us Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. for "Disaster Preparation for Small Business" presented by the SBA.
Other need to knows
Newton's mayor debate on economic issues tomorrow
Ruthanne Fuller and Amy Sangiolo write two of the three best email newsletters in Newton. Oh, and they both want voters to reelect or elect them mayor on Nov. 2.
I have no interest in elected office but tomorrow (Thursday) at 9 a.m. via zoom I will be asking both candidates about matters related to businesses, nonprofits and economic development.
?I'm looking forward to an interesting, fast moving, debate and hope you can join us.
Scroll down to register. And email me your questions for the candidates. Yes we will record it.
Pandemic schamdemic, digital smigital
Finally let's appreciate the passion of the owners of two new bricks and mortar retail shops who apparently weren't intimated by pandemic or the fact that most music these days is shared and distributed digitally.
Yes, not one, but two, shops specializing in vinyl records and tapes have opened since COVID in our communities.
Check 'em out. And when you get home crank it up to eleven.
That’s today’s need to knows unless you need to know why Lego has decided to make its toys general neutral.
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
Where’s the one place in Massachusetts where you are statistically most susceptible to contracting COVID-19?
At home.
It was true early in the pandemic. And it’s still true now, according to the most recent Department of Public Health data.
Last month, 96% of the state’s 6,824 new COVID clusters (defined as two or more confirmed cases with a common exposure) developed in households, reports Benjamin Kail at MassLive
That was basically the same story in November of 2020, when 91% of the state’s 10,562 clusters stemmed from home. Same story seven months ago when the March 4 cluster report traced 96% of 36,140 clusters to households.
Just 35 of the state’s 6,824 new clusters were traced to restaurants, coffee shops, bars and food courts in September. That’s less than preschools (83 clusters) and long-term care facilities like nursing homes (68), Kail adds.
Meanwhile, DPH reported that zero COVID clusters began in offices last month.
Repeating that: zero clusters in offices.
Other settings tracked by the state — including industrial workplaces, hospitals, dentists, retail stores, homeless shelters, gyms, places of worship and hotels — saw between one and eight clusters last month.
But then there’s Harvard epidemiologist Stephen Kissler who tells the Globe we can gather safely with family for the holidays, providing everyone is vaccinated and takes at-home rapid antigen tests right before gathering.
Also from the Globe, here’s what you need to know about at home tests.
Slowly but surely some office workers returning
Although Greater Boston was not included in this study, office-building use has been slowly rising nationwide, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The number of workers returning to traditional office space has been edging higher since the week of Labor Day, when an average of 31% of the workforce was back in the 10 major cities monitored by Kastle Systems.
That average was 35% during the week that ended Oct. 1.
We're still a long way from the fall return to office we expected, but increasingly hybrid uses of office spaces is trickling up.
Needham looks at a quieter commuter rail
A years-long efforts to relieve Needham of the ear-piercing blare of commuter rail horns (not an exaggeration) is getting a renewed push due to efforts from a neighborhood group called Safer Quieter Needham.
The group wants the town to establish a “quiet zone” in town where horns are not used except in the case of an emergency.
Twenty-eight municipalities in Massachusetts currently have quiet zones approved by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Doing something similar in Needham would require an investment in costly new safety measures explains Colman M. Herman for CommonWealth.
If Needham decides to install quiet zones, gets the approvals and finds the funds, Needham Select Board member Dan Matthews predicts it will take at least five years to implement.
Newton’s commuter rail stations on tonight’s agenda
Here's another worthy project that will take years: The MBTA will hold a virtual public meeting tonight (Oct. 13) at 6 p.m. to discuss a proposal to improve accessibility at the three commuter rail stations in Newton.
The proposed changes would -- at long last -- add platforms to provide inbound and outbound service at the same time, a situation that created unacceptable swaths of hours without two-way train service in Auburndale, West Newton and Newtonville. Meeting details
‘Silent majority’ recognizes need for more housing
While opponents to new housing are often the loudest at municipal meetings, a new Manhattan Institute-Echelon Insights survey of Greater Boston residents tells a different story.
Two hundred residents were asked their thoughts about the state of housing in the region. Just 14 percent of respondents rated current housing affordability as good or very good – the lowest rating among all the 20 metro regions surveyed, writes Joshua McCabe in a CommonWealth op-ed.
Sixty-seven percent reported that they were concerned or extremely concerned about the cost of housing. Housing topped all other issues, including taxes, public safety, school quality, and even COVID-19, on the public radar.
SBA grant program expanded
Last week the SBA began taking applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million.
The loan term is 30 years with a fixed interest rate of 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for private nonprofits. Payments are deferred for the first two years (interest will accrue), and payments of principal and interest are made over the remaining 28 years. There’s no prepayment penalty.
The EIDL program is set to expire at the end of 202, leaving just a few months for small-business owners to take advantage of this program, writes Andy Medici for the Business Journals.
But loans don't help if your tapped out
Medici notes that not all industry sectors will find EIDL program helpful.
“Loans have never been and never will be the solution for neighborhood restaurants and bars,” said Erika Polmar, executive director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “Restaurant and bar operators exhausted all personal and business savings just trying to keep their businesses afloat.”
Polmar is pushing for Congress to replenish the Restaurant Relief Fund, which was quickly exhausted earlier in 2021 with tens of billions of dollars in applications denied due to lack of funds.
The plea comes as experts worry that this summer’s restaurant rebound was “an artificial sugar rush.”
This SBA program is for everyone
Just added to our calendar: Join us Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. for "Disaster Preparation for Small Business" presented by the SBA.
Other need to knows
- Riverside Community Care will celebrate the life of its founder – and blues music chronicler -- Scott M. Bock this Thursday (Oct 14) at 4 p.m. via zoom. Register.
- If you work, own a business, or live in Wellesley, please take five minutes to complete this survey related to the town’s Climate Action Plan.
- Many Watertown small businesses may still qualify for Microenterprise Funds, even in some cases a second grant id they received one before. Details.
Newton's mayor debate on economic issues tomorrow
Ruthanne Fuller and Amy Sangiolo write two of the three best email newsletters in Newton. Oh, and they both want voters to reelect or elect them mayor on Nov. 2.
I have no interest in elected office but tomorrow (Thursday) at 9 a.m. via zoom I will be asking both candidates about matters related to businesses, nonprofits and economic development.
?I'm looking forward to an interesting, fast moving, debate and hope you can join us.
Scroll down to register. And email me your questions for the candidates. Yes we will record it.
Pandemic schamdemic, digital smigital
Finally let's appreciate the passion of the owners of two new bricks and mortar retail shops who apparently weren't intimated by pandemic or the fact that most music these days is shared and distributed digitally.
Yes, not one, but two, shops specializing in vinyl records and tapes have opened since COVID in our communities.
- There’s Want List Records which recently opened at the Mall at Echo Bridge in Newton (Wicked Local story here).
- And Wanna Hear it Records in Watertown Square (Wicked Local wrote about them too!)
Check 'em out. And when you get home crank it up to eleven.
That’s today’s need to knows unless you need to know why Lego has decided to make its toys general neutral.
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
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