Americans are hording toilet paper again.

 

We're not quite seeing shortages like we did early in pandemic, when panicked customers cleared shelves of paper towels and toilet paper at least not yet.

 

But Roche Bros. and other grocers tell the Wall Street Journal they're struggling to secure a steady supply as customers stock up.

 

Arthur Ackles, Roche’s VP of merchandising and buying, said he’s been told by Procter & Gamble, the biggest maker to toilet paper in the U.S., to expect limits.

 

And Ackles is worried disruptions could lead to panic buying.

 

“Customers are asking a lot of questions,” he said.

 

 

Newton’s indoor face mask mandate returns today, although, shamefully, there was no news article announcing the policy in yesterday’s Newton Tab or on Wicked Local Newton.

 

In Watertown were the mandate began last week, the Watertown Tab did its job. 

 

At Fenway Park it’s still okay to be maskless while screaming at – who’s left in the lineup? -- from your seat, but not while waiting in line for a beer.

 

At Boston College the faculty isn’t happy with the policy there.

 

Meanwhile, the authors of a study based on an enormous randomized research project in Bangladesh say their results offer the best evidence yet that widespread wearing of surgical masks can limit the spread of COVID in communities.

 
 

 

Supply chain shortages, hording and mask mandates, aren’t the only things that feel like that bad movie sequel we never wanted to see.

 

"Only a few months ago, it seemed that September could be a turning point for a return to normal in the United States," writes Heather Long in the Washington Post.

 

"Instead, it has become a renewed period of anxiety. For many Americans, this is fast becoming the 'I don’t know' economy. Business leaders don’t know when supply chains and shipping bottlenecks will subside. Parents don’t know whether school or child care will be disrupted again. And many workers don’t know whether they will go back to the office in the coming weeks."

 

 

Congratulations to three Charles River Regional Chamber members who are featured on the Boston Business Journals just-released "40 under 40" list: Michael Benezra COO at Colette Phillips Communications, Matthew Gottesdiener CEO at Northland Investment Corp. and Tom Yuen, Partner at Gray, Gray & Gray LLP

 

 

The City of Newton has posted an RFP for a Diversity Equity & Inclusion Consultant. Learn more about this effort in this report that aired on GBH.

 

 

 

The Charles River Regional Chamber’s Wellesley Business Alliance committee launched a program this week designed to encourage students to shop and dine locally through a student discount program. 

 

If you’d like to add your business to this growing list by offering a student discount, please complete this form. Contact Tracey Antaya if you have questions.

 

 

Gov. Charlie Baker is expanding his vaccine mandate for nursing home workers to include home health aides and other long-term care employees. 

 

All staff at rest homes, assisted living residences, and hospice programs, as well as health care workers who care for patients in their homes,?will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 31, reports Shira Schoenberg at CommonWealth.

 

The home health aids expansion must still be approved by the state’s Public Health Council. It would cover up to 100,000 home care workers who work for a home care agency that takes MassHealth patients; are a personal care attendant caring for a MassHealth patient; or have any sort of state contract.