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‘Now is not the time to relax restrictions:’ CDC chief Walensky sounds alarm on ‘stalling’ progress in pandemic

CDC chief Dr. Rochelle Walensky sounded the alarm on Friday over what she described as potentially stalling progress in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and said variants of the virus are becoming more prevalent in the US even as vaccinations climb.
Mass. set to enter final phase of reopening next week From theaters to laser tag, here’s a look at what can reopen in Mass. on Monday

Pool testing in schools is a ‘first-in-the-nation’ tool to get students back to in-person learning, Baker says

Visiting a Newburyport school on Friday, Governor Charlie Baker highlighted a key element of the administration’s push to reopen public schools: COVID-19 pool testing of nearly 300,000 children across the state.
Pool coronavirus testing is launching in more than 900 Massachusetts schools. Here’s how it works

State health secretary explains why employer-hosted vaccine programs are being suspended

Only several weeks after actively soliciting help from the business community, the administration is now telling companies to put their COVID-19 vaccination efforts on hold.
‘You’re missing how broken the system is’: Baker faces rare grilling from lawmakers See more vaccine news, resources, and guidance
Tell us

When did you realize COVID-19 was going to change everything?

There’s a moment for many of us, most often happening in March 2020, when we realized that COVID-19 had completely changed our lives.

CareWell clinics telling patients their second COVID-19 shots are cancelled, triggering wider vaccination anxieties

Some Massachusetts residents who’ve gotten first shots in the two-dose regimens are worrying whether they’ll be able to get scheduled second shots.
One dose offers some protection. But experts say you still need the second shot

FDA advisers to vet Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine for emergency use
If the panel votes that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks, as expected, the FDA could grant emergency clearance within days, providing a boost to US vaccine supplies.

Canadian regulator authorizes AstraZeneca vaccine

House to vote on COVID-19 relief package Friday

The relief bill would provide millions of people with $1,400 direct payments. It contains billions of dollars for vaccines and COVID-19 testing, schools, state and local governments, the restaurant and airline industries, and emergency jobless benefits.

Company, owner in Boston construction accident have history of violations
The company involved in two construction accident fatalities in downtown Boston Wednesday and its owner have lengthy histories of workplace violations and legal disputes in recent years, records show.

Forecast | Dave Epstein
Meteorological winter ends this weekend
This means that when we start the next work week, it’s officially spring in a weather person’s handbook

Mass. coronavirus at a glance |
Vaccinations
Daily doses:
Weekly doses:
1st dose received:
Fully vaccinated:
% of doses used:
7-day trend/avg.:
Cases and deaths
Cases
.
Deaths
.
Other resources:
SOURCE: Mass. Dept. of Public Health
The Battle for the GOP

‘I do look at them in a different light:’ Tensions are high in Congress as Democrats want consequences for election-denying Republicans

Many Democrats believe that the Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 election were essentially cheering on the Jan. 6 mob’s effort to kill them. The result is an atmosphere more tense and distrustful than anyone can remember.
Militia groups want to ‘blow up the Capitol,’ a police chief testifies

McConnell says he’d support Trump if he wins 2024 nomination

Less than a month after excoriating Donald Trump in a blistering floor speech, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that he would “absolutely” support the former president again if he secured the Republican nomination in 2024.

Cicilline blasts Taylor Greene for opposing Equality Act

Bill providing legal safeguards for LGBTQ people passes House but faces uncertain future in the Senate.

The Black history I carry with me

A Beautiful Resistance — a special project from the Globe's culture columnist Jeneé Osterheldt — is celebrating Black History Month by amplifying local stories of change-makers and the people inspired by them.

Opinion

IDEAS | Christina Szalinski

Two masks could be one too many

Experts say double masking is a double-edged sword.
EDITORIAL

Governor Baker is right — schools must reopen
Renée Loth

Debra Haaland as interior secretary — a champion for the land

Kimberly Atkins

After a brutal year, Garland must work to reform DOJ — and restore Black Americans’ trust
Scot Lehigh

As Massachusetts shows, strong gun-safety laws work

Project takeout: Get takeout. Save restaurants you love.
Ordering dinner will help small local businesses survive the pandemic. But that’s just the start.

Restaurants we supported this week Learn more about Project Takeout

Billy Baker
Surviving brain freeze at the Mid-Winter Surfing Championships
Five decades of New England spite, chilled.

Kevin Paul Dupont | On Second Thought
The Baseball Encyclopedia, sadly, is a thing of the past
No one has much use for baseball's first bible anymore.

IN THE FAMILY WAY
The parenting crisis without a vaccine: loneliness
“Everybody’s a taker now; nobody’s a giver because everybody’s so wiped out.”

Elegies for those lost to coronavirus
Coronavirus has brought sorrow to every corner of the state, while cruelly preventing the bereaved from mourning together. Here, we remember victims for how they lived.

TY BURR
Armie Hammer is in ‘Crisis’ and they can’t hide it
Trailers for the opioid epidemic thriller were already in the can when allegations of abuse surfaced online.

Tiger Woods moved to renowned LA hospital for further care after emergency surgery on legs
Woods was moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for “continuing orthopedic care and recovery."

On Patriots special teams, the big questions concern Matthew Slater and Nick Folk
Slater is under contract for one more year but hasn't indicated what his intentions are, while Folk is a free agent.

President Biden to visit Texas after storms
President Biden will visit Texas with a dual mission: surveying damage caused by severe winter weather and encouraging people to get their coronavirus shots.

Recommended reads

‘I think we could be a model for other communities’: Black Boston COVID-19 Coalition helps bring vaccine to people of color

The coalition hopes this weekend's Black History Month vaccination drive at the Reggie Lewis Center will not only help boost inoculation rates among Black Bostonians, but begin to transform their relationship with a health care system that has long mistreated them.

CHRISTOPHER MUTHER
The new travel reality: Vaccine required
Some cruise companies are now mandating that passengers be vaccinated. Could airlines and countries be next?

First a closure, now a breakup of the team behind Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar
After a decade in business together, the owners of the restaurant group who operated Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, The Hawthorne, and Row 34 are ending their partnership a week after announcing that a trio of their restaurants in Kenmore Square would close.

metro

CareWell clinics telling patients their second COVID-19 shots are cancelled, triggering wider vaccination anxieties
Some Massachusetts residents who’ve gotten first shots in the two-dose regimens are worrying whether they’ll be able to get scheduled second shots.

Cicilline blasts Taylor Greene for opposing Equality Act

Mass. set to enter final phase of reopening

Sports

Kevin Paul Dupont | On Second Thought
The Baseball Encyclopedia, sadly, is a thing of the past
No one has much use for baseball's first bible anymore.

Vermont Lake Monsters will join New England-based Futures League after sale
patriots

On Patriots special teams, the big questions concern Matthew Slater and Nick Folk

business

DataRobot makes move into COVID-19 monitoring
The Boston tech company says it can help people know their risk of transmitting the virus.

State health secretary explains why employer-hosted vaccine programs are being suspended

This online fitness brand is launching line of shoes and clothing designed by Boston teens

politics

President Biden to visit Texas after storms
President Biden will visit Texas with a dual mission: surveying damage caused by severe winter weather and encouraging people to get their coronavirus shots.

McConnell says he’d support Trump if he wins 2024 nomination

Minimum wage hike must be dropped from COVID-19 relief bill, arbiter decides

lifestyle

IN THE FAMILY WAY
The parenting crisis without a vaccine: loneliness
“Everybody’s a taker now; nobody’s a giver because everybody’s so wiped out.”

QUICK BITE

At Mikkusu, a talented chef bides her time
THE VIP LOUNGE

New NE bike tours, a favorite bar reopens, and new virtual travel experiences

arts

What’s happening in the arts world
This week's picks from Globe critics.

HOMEFRONT

HomeFront: Billie Holiday, Beethoven, and Bad Bunny, plus art to comfort and calm
TY BURR

Armie Hammer is in ‘Crisis’ and they can’t hide it

rhode island

Cicilline blasts Taylor Greene for opposing Equality Act
Bill providing legal safeguards for LGBTQ people passes House but faces uncertain future in the Senate.

RHODE MAP

Look for the General Assembly to flex its muscles on the Lifespan-Care New England merger
RI CRIME

R.I. is working to collect $29m in old traffic fines

Newton

Special Projects

A Beautiful Resistance celebrates Black History Month

A Beautiful Resistance, in a special collaboration with Reebok, celebrate Black History Month. Black Joy. Black Wellness. Black Futures.
See more from 'A Beautiful Resistance' Follow on Instagram

On the Street

In tackling the pandemic, Chelsea finds new strength

Brockton offers a gateway to a new generation

This time, Quincy Center’s revival looks legit

Revere was going through a revival before COVID-19. Can it stay on track?

See more from our business series ‘On the Street’: The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods

More

Boston Globe launches ‘Fresh Start’ initiative: People can apply to have past coverage about them reviewed
Similar to “right to forget” programs that have cropped up across the country, the undertaking is meant to address the lasting impact that stories about past embarrassments, mistakes, or minor crimes, forever online, can have on a person’s life.

Last Words: Is death the great equalizer?
Quite the contrary, a Spotlight investigation shows. Death exposes in high relief the layers of inequities, in race and income, care and opportunity, that shape life down to its final hours. It is a truth the pandemic has only underscored — one hard to see, because it is so much easier to look away.

I knew getting prostate cancer at 48 would change me. I had no idea how much
For the past year, Mark Shanahan has been working on Mr. 80 Percent, a six-episode podcast miniseries about his experience with prostate cancer. It’s a deeply personal, sometimes harrowing, often funny story about a disease that affects millions of men. The heroes are his doctors and family, who put up with some appalling behavior. You’ll hear from both.

Comfort Zone

ASK MATTHEW

10 reader-approved TV shows for parents and tweens

We asked for suggestions, and from "Sherlock" to "Green Acres," readers responded.
COMFORT ZONE

Flock to these winter birding hot spots around Boston

Pete Gilmore, field trip coordinator for the Brookline Bird Club, shared his favorite local stops.
A.Z. MADONNA

What would Beethoven think of climate change? Composer Iman Habibi has a few ideas

Habibi's “Jeder Baum spricht” (”Every tree speaks”) is part of a new BSO Now program.
ASK MATTHEW

If you enjoyed ‘Your Honor,’ who am I to judge?

As a critic, I don’t pretend my opinions are the correct ones, or even the best ones; they’re just mine.
COMFORT ZONE

Tatiana de Rosnay on ‘Sarah’s Key,’ Boston memories, and her scary new novel

The author casts a wary eye on on the near-future in her new book, "Flowers of Darkness."
COMFORT ZONE

Stars to come out (remotely) for a new Boston clinic for homeless women

Renee Fleming, Laura Benanti, Cheyenne Jackson, Heather Headley, and others are slated to perform in a benefit for Health Care Without Walls.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Pamela Constable

The old house on Nantucket
Marcelo Suárez-Orozco and Carola Suárez-Orozco

The children of immigrants can help save higher ed
Joan Wickersham

The emperor of nothing
IDEAS | Josie Thaddeus-Johns

Texts and voicemails are too demanding. Send voice memos instead.
EDITORIAL

Becerra’s fearlessness frightens GOP foes
IDEAS | Rachel Rebouché and Mary Ziegler

Could Roe v. Wade really become ‘the law of the land’?

STAT

The Road Ahead: Charting the pandemic over the next 12 months — and beyond
In this project, STAT describes 30 key moments, possible turning points that could steer the pandemic onto a different course or barometers for how the virus is reshaping our lives.

From a small N.C. town to big-city hospitals, how software infuses racism into U.S. health care
The racial bias can produce huge differences in assessing patients’ need for special care to manage conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or depression, a STAT investigation found.

Covid-19’s wintry mix: Dry indoor air helps the virus spread
The worry is not just that people might mingle more closely inside, but that the air they breathe will make the virus more dangerous.

In the Covid-19 death of a hospital food worker, a microcosm of the pandemic
The hospital's first employee to die of Covid-19 was a kitchen worker named Marie Deus — and her illness sparked a question. Why weren't bedside clinicians getting sick at the highest rates?

magazine
Pandemic Parenting

We can care about education and be OK writing this year off
Parenting advice

'Being forgiving of ourselves is probably the biggest'
Perspective

I was proud of my job. What to tell my kids when I lost it?
My Boston History

I first came to Boston in 1975, a time of violence

sports

Tiger Woods moved to renowned LA hospital for further care after emergency surgery on legs

There is hope for an MIAA wrestling season in the spring, but individual and team tournaments won’t take place

Annika Sorenstam returns to LPGA Tour, briefly, with a lot more stress and fewer birdies

metro

Surviving brain freeze at the Mid-Winter Surfing Championships

Pool testing in schools is a ‘first-in-the-nation’ tool to get students back to in-person learning, Baker says

Look for the General Assembly to flex its muscles on the Lifespan-Care New England merger

Nation

‘Now is not the time to relax restrictions:’ CDC chief Walensky sounds alarm on ‘stalling’ progress in pandemic

President Biden to visit Texas after storms

When did you realize COVID-19 was going to change everything?

World

Canadian regulator authorizes AstraZeneca vaccine

Ties with Saudis at stake as US releases findings on killing

US bombs facilities in Syria used by Iran-backed militia

politics

Militia groups want to ‘blow up the Capitol,’ a police chief testifies

‘I do look at them in a different light:’ Tensions are high in Congress as Democrats want consequences for election-denying Republicans

Capitol riot costs will exceed $30 million, official tells Congress

business

Airbnb revenue beats estimates, showing demand amid COVID surge

DoorDash beats revenue estimates amid year-end pandemic surge

MassMutual to invest in Black-owned businesses, tech startups

lifestyle

Michael Chiklis loves Aspen, Capri, and of course, Boston

Tim and Bronwyn Wiechmann plan a Lincoln restaurant, and hot chicken comes to Allston

I want to live closer to my friends and family

marijuana

Mass. marijuana has to be ultra-sterile. Just one problem: It’s a plant

Marijuana company sues Boston zoning board over rejection

New Jersey governor signs laws to set up marijuana market

opinion

House impeachment managers teed up strong case. Now swing away

Debra Haaland as interior secretary — a champion for the land

Two masks could be one too many

food & dining

At Mikkusu, a talented chef bides her time

Tim and Bronwyn Wiechmann plan a Lincoln restaurant, and hot chicken comes to Allston

Celebrating the Irish poitín

travel

New NE bike tours, a favorite bar reopens, and new virtual travel experiences

Michael Chiklis loves Aspen, Capri, and of course, Boston

The new travel reality: Vaccine required

Books

Crime and damages in ‘The Lowering Days’

A fictional retrospective of a filmmaker’s life in ‘Foregone’

Glenn Adamson on the perfect reading chair and books organized by color

Movies

Armie Hammer is in ‘Crisis’ and they can’t hide it

Some sequels take longer (a lot longer) to arrive than others

Imagination rules the ruthless in ‘Night of the Kings’

Television

10 things TV should stop doing right now

‘Ray Donovan’ will get a feature-length finale

There’s true crime, but no Lizzie Borden, in ‘Fall River’

music

When Beethoven resonates in a crisis

Jazz artist Maria Schneider on making music, and making a living

Velvet mornings and boots made for walkin’: Nancy Sinatra retrospective revisits a singer with swagger

Theater/Dance

Boston Ballet celebrates Jorma Elo in a rich program of new work and past highlights

On your screen but outside the box: Theater companies rise to a creative challenge

Stars to come out (remotely) for a new Boston clinic for homeless women

globe local

Meteorological winter ends this weekend

Boys & Girls Clubs, Y’s provide places for kids to study and play during pandemic

Should US Supreme Court justices have term limits?

Obituaries

Jon Westling, former president of Boston University, dies at 78

Annabel Battistella, whose Combat Zone performance as Fanne Foxe fueled a Washington sex scandal, dies at 84

Beat poet, publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti dies