NBC Boston: Mask debate continues as Mass. activates National Guard to support hospitals amid COVID surge
December 21, 2021 – "We’re a little disappointed that the Governor’s recommendation doesn’t go quite that far (as issuing a mask mandate), but we’re moving in the right direction," said MMS President Dr. Carole Allen.
Boston Business Journal: 'No interest' in a statewide mask, vaccine mandate, Baker says
December 21, 2021 – The Mass Medical Society urged the state to adopt a mask mandate last week, saying it was key to slowing the spread of the virus.
Salem News: Our view: Baker needs to lead on mask mandate
December 20, 2021 – MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said Friday adding layers of protection is sensible, and that includes a return to wearing masks in public spaces, even for people who are fully vaccinated.
Boston Globe: Mass. Medical Society, other groups urge parents to have children vaccinated against COVID-19
December 16, 2021 – The Massachusetts Medical Society and two other physicians’ groups are urging parents to have children over the age of 5 vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid school interruptions, with infections
rising during the holiday season.
NECN: Mass. doctors urge masks in all indoor public settings
December 14, 2021 – Dr. Carole Allen, President of the MMS, said Tuesday that the growing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations point to "an alarming upward trend" that is straining the state's health care
system.
Boston.com: Mass. Medical Society calls for statewide mask mandate for all indoor public settings
December 14, 2021 – The President of the MMS is recommending that state officials require the use of masks in all indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status, in the face of worrying COVID-19 trends in
the Commonwealth.
WBUR: Wear masks while indoors, says Mass. Medical Society
December 14, 2021 – Massachusetts residents should wear masks indoors, according to guidance from the state's oldest medical association, especially during holiday gatherings. The MMS made the statement Tuesday,
as cases of COVID-19 continue to surge through the state and region.
CBS Boston: Massachusetts Medical Society Calls For Mask Mandate In All Indoor Public Places
December 14, 2021 – "Wearing masks while indoors is an appropriate way to slow the transmission of this disease, especially now with the holidays upon us and also with the cold and flu season that is encroaching
on us," MMS President-Elect Dr. Ted Calianos said.
WWLP: Local doctors continue to encourage wearing a mask when indoors
December 14, 2021 – Masking up is exactly what top state health officials are recommending residents to do. The MMS is urging people to wear masks in all public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.
Parents Magazine: Everything pediatricians want you to know about getting your child the COVID vaccine
October 5, 2021 – "This pandemic has been disruptive in so many ways," MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said. "Vaccination is one – perhaps the only – way to
return us to normalcy."
Boston Globe: Behind the state’s school masking policy: a collision of science and politics
October 2, 2021 – "Our preference would be to err on the side of extra safety and to take our time and make sure that community rates are dropping," said MMS President Dr. Carole Allen.
Boston Globe: ‘I’ve never seen it this bad.’ Central Mass. hospital system runs out of ICU beds due to COVID, other factors
September 22, 2021 – Dr. Alain Chaoui, who leads the MMS Task Force on Physician Burnout, said he still hears from too many patients afraid to go to a doctor’s office for fear of becoming infected with COVID — even
though physician’s offices are taking extraordinary safety precautions.
MetroWest Daily News: In the end, a mandate was the way to go for Baker
August 22, 2021 – MMS President Dr. Carole Allen and Massachusetts Academy of Family Pediatricians President Dr. Julie Johnston were among those calling for universal masking in schools as the governors of Connecticut
and Rhode Island this week took similar steps. On Friday, Baker relented.
State House News Service: In shift, Baker Administration seeks school mask mandate
August 20, 2021 – The state's education commissioner is seeking authority to mandate that students ages 5 and up, staff and educators in public K-12 schools wear masks indoors through Oct. 1. The MMS has been among the groups recommending universal masking in schools.
CommonWealth Magazine: Poll shows strong support for school mask mandate
August 19, 2021 – The presidents of the Massachusetts Medical Society and the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians released a joint statement urging Gov. Baker to order mask wearing by anyone going into a Massachusetts
school this fall.
Boston.com: Mass. Medical Society and Academy of Family Physicians call on Charlie Baker to require masks in schools
August 18, 2021 – In a joint statement Tuesday, the MMS and Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians said they "strongly recommend" that Baker require masks indoors for anyone learning in, working in, or visiting schools — regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.
NBC Boston: Gov. Baker facing more pressure to mandate masks in schools
August 18, 2021 – "It is imperative that Massachusetts teachers, staff, students and visitors start this school year with uniform masking requirements to protect them and those with whom they live and interact outside
of the academic setting," said MMS President Dr. Carole Allen and Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians President Dr. Julie Johnston.
Boston Globe: Massachusetts Medical Society calls for Baker to require masks in schools
August 17, 2021 – Dr. Carole Allen, President of the MMS, and Dr. Julie Johnston, President of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians, issued a statement Tuesday urging Gov. Baker to require "all who learn
in, work in, or visit schools" to wear masks while citing concerns about the spread of the highly-contagious Delta variant.
State House News Service: Two medical groups call for statewide school mask mandate
August 17, 2021 – MMS President Dr. Carole Allen and Massachusetts Academy of Family Pediatricians President Dr. Julie Johnston described mask-wearing as "a public health measure proven to reduce the transmission of
COVID-19."
Salem News: Young adults driving surge
August 9, 2021 – "The vaccine works and it's imperative to get it to everyone who is eligible to receive it," MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said.
Boston Globe: Mass. issues updated mask guidance; Baker calls on FDA to give vaccines full approval
July 30, 2021 – The physicians of the MMS "strongly recommend," that people wear masks in indoor, public places, regardless of vaccination status, MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said in a statement.
WBUR: A Mass. public health expert on the state’s rising COVID cases
July 22, 2021 – "I would advise anybody who hasn’t been vaccinated to do so," MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said. "The percentage of breakthrough cases compared to cases in unvaccinated people is very low and those
cases tend to be milder."
Boston Herald: Top Massachusetts doctor concerned about ‘exponential’ coronavirus growth that previously led to shutdowns
July 21, 2021 – "If numbers start to be concerning we are able to quickly pivot to measures we have implemented in the past," MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said.
NBC Boston: Is surging COVID a real worry? Why Mass. doctors are concerned, not alarmed
July 16, 2021 – "A lot of it depends on whether you've been vaccinated, whether you're going to be in a place that has big crowds or if you're just going to be out in the countryside. You want to look at what the risks
are for you and your family," MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said.
State House News Service: Massachusetts lawmakers hear avalanche of public comments on proposed COVID-19 bills
July 13, 2021 – "Just as we have seen with the COVID pandemic, the health of communities of color and low-income populations continues to be disproportionately threatened by these diseases," said MMS President Dr.
Carole Allen.
WBUR: Vaccine bills spark intense debate about medical exemptions and student mandates
July 13, 2021 – The MMS "strongly supports" eliminating the religious exemption and backs "certain provisions" of the community immunity bill "that would improve the remainder of the vaccine system by centralizing,
standardizing, and streamlining the medical exemption process while improving the collection, monitoring, and publication of immunization data."
State House News Service: Top Mass docs respond to rare heart inflammation
June 26, 2021 – "Although instances of heart inflammation are incredibly rare... the issue warranted and received rigorous scientific study," said MMS President Dr. Carole Allen and Massachusetts Chapter of the American
Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Lloyd Fisher.
Boston Herald: Coronavirus vaccine’s heart-related ‘incredibly rare’ side effects
June 24, 2021 – "After review of the latest information available, it was clear that the benefits of vaccination in this age group far outweigh the small risk of this very rare side effect," the presidents of the MMS
and Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics said.
Boston Herald: Massachusetts hits vaccination goal of 4.1 million fully vaccinated
June 22, 2021 – The MMS and the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics on Tuesday pushed for children to get vaccinated in time for next school year.
Boston Herald: National nurses union slams CDC no-mask guidance, calls for it to be revised
May 19, 2021 – The MMS passed policy that states it endorses "the use of masks for all those wishing to reduce the risk of respiratory tract infection... whenever respiratory infections are known to be circulating
when people are in close contact and indoors."
Boston Globe: Mass. to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions, relax mask guidance on May 29
May 17, 2021 – MMS President Dr. Carole Allen urged people who are not vaccinated to keep masking up, and for people who are to "recognize that because of access challenges or hesitancy, many in the Commonwealth have
yet to be vaccinated."
Boston Herald: Massachusetts to lift coronavirus restrictions on businesses May 29, end state of emergency June 15
May 17, 2021 – MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said the new mask guidelines are "consistent" with the Baker administration’s "data-guided approach" but warned "access challenges or hesitancy" have prevented many from
being vaccinated.
Boston Globe: Baker has resisted setting separate rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated Mass. residents. New CDC guidelines may test that
May 14, 2021 – Despite the statewide decline in COVID-19 cases, certain communities may still be at high risk and need to continue requiring masks, MMS President Dr. Carole Allen said.
WCVB: Walmart offers walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at 48 pharmacies in Massachusetts
May 4, 2021 – "Doctors know their patients," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "We know why different people are unable to get those vaccines and we're a trusted voice, probably the most trusted voice, when it
comes to the health of our patients."
Boston.com: Massachusetts is ramping down its mass vaccination sites as rollout enters new phase
May 3, 2021 – MMS President Dr. David Rosman said in a statement that distribution of doses to primary care providers will "allow for urgent and personalized outreach," particularly to vulnerable patients who "still
face grave danger if they contract the virus."
CBS Boston: State to start shutting down some mass vaccination sites
May 3, 2021 – "If (someone's) doctor turns to them and says, I got the shot, my family got the shot, my children got the shot, we think you should, and we know that it's safe... we think that will really help to
get us to herd immunity," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Globe: After all those eager for vaccination get their shots, how to reach the rest? Primary care doctors say they’re the answer
April 29, 2021 – "(Vaccinating) the first 40 to 60 percent, despite the hard work it took, was really the easy part," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "We’re at a really good time to make the shift to a more personalized
approach."
NBC Boston: What experts say about teens unsure about whether to get vaccinated
April 29, 2021 – "We need to get through this hesitancy to get to equity," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "And we need to do a better job of explaining why it (getting vaccinated) so important."
Boston Herald: Massachusetts coronavirus daily death count drops to lowest point in 380 days: ‘Vaccines work’
April 14, 2021 – "The most likely people to die of COVID-19 got vaccinated first, so that is what’s driving this primarily," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said of the decline in COVID deaths. "We should celebrate
fewer deaths, but we shouldn’t relent until the deaths stop."
Boston Globe: Halt in J&J shots deepens vaccination uncertainties at a critical time
April 13, 2021 – "This vaccine, because it’s a one-dose vaccine, was a really good way to reach the disabled and other vulnerable populations," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "A lot of the plan to reach those
populations had J&J in the center of it."
Boston Globe: Mass. notifies state providers to halt Johnson & Johnson vaccine rollout
April 13, 2021 – "The commitment to patient safety must always come first," said MMS President Dr. David Rosman, calling the pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration "entirely appropriate."
State House News Service: FDA chief expects J&J pause to run 'a matter of days'
April 13, 2021 – "COVID-19 remains present and dangerous and vaccination continues to be an integral component in our quest to come out of the pandemic," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Globe: Coronavirus cases are rising among children and teens in Mass. Here’s a closer look at the numbers
April 9, 2021 – "Schools have done a really good job of keeping people safe, of reducing transmission," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "The tradeoff for schools is a tradeoff worth taking."
NBC Boston: Spike in COVID-19 Cases Prompts New Preventative Measures at Emerson College
April 7, 2021 – "It's not because people are necessarily doing the wrong thing. It's because it's a non-vaccinated crowd and we're not through this yet," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Eagle-Tribune: Mass. health officials concerned about virus spike
April 5, 2021 – "When 80% of the population still hasn't been vaccinated, the vast majority remain vulnerable to COVID," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Courthouse News: New England’s COVID restrictions are easing up … but the virus isn’t
March 29, 2021 – "Everyone wants to believe that this is over, and nobody wants to hear it or say it or do it, but people need to hold off for two more months," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Herald: Massachusetts coronavirus cases rising after declining for weeks. What’s causing this uptick?
March 22, 2021 – "Peoples’ inclination to gather and take off their masks is too early. If we just hold on for another month or two, then we can be entirely clear of this," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Globe: Public health experts support CDC guidance on vaccinated people
March 8, 2020 – "We must continue efforts to ensure that our most vulnerable and most likely to face severe illness, hospitalization and death… are able to receive vaccines efficiently and equitably from the health
care provider and health care setting of their choosing," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Herald: Coronavirus hospitalizations in Massachusetts plummet since start of vaccine rollout
March 7, 2021 – "Focusing on people 75-plus and getting them vaccinated early has been really important," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "It has definitely helped reduce the amount of cases and the hospitalization
rate."
Eagle-Tribune: Doctors want access to COVID-19 vaccines
March 3, 2020 – "Primary care physicians are the most trusted source of medical care, yet, paradoxically, most patients cannot get their vaccine through their primary care physician’s office," a coalition of groups,
including the MMS, wrote to Gov. Charlie Baker.
Boston Business Journal: Health care’s post-pandemic future: 'There has to be a better way’
February 26, 2021 – "During the time of COVID, inequity has increased," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "We don't get to despair about the lack of success, but realize we need to be more persistent... A lot of
the work in the next legislative session can move things forward."
NBC Boston: How some Mass. schools are prepping for a possible Feb. vacation COVID surge
February 22, 2021 – "What we want to make sure is coming back from school vacation isn’t the turning point where the numbers go back up," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Globe: Thousands of Mass. hospital workers have been sickened with COVID since the start of the pandemic
February 21, 2020 – "As front-liners, we can do everything right but still be exposed because we’re exposed at work, which we simply can’t avoid," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "Being in health care at this time
has meant placing yourself at risk of COVID."
Boston.com: Docs decry Massachusetts plan changing vaccination focus
February 13, 2021 – "People have a trusting relationship with their doctor, and when their doctor says, 'This is safe and as soon as my family is eligible I will get it for them,' then patients are more willing (to
get vaccinated)," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
WBUR: Hospitals fume as Governor shifts coronavirus vaccine strategy
February 12, 2021 – When vaccine supply increases and the state allows hospitals to resume booking new patients, the MMS will continue to urge Governor Baker to send vials to independent physician practices, not just
hospital-based doctors.
Boston.com: Mass. doctors declare racism a public health crisis, launch initiative to combat it
February 5, 2021 – "The Massachusetts Medical Society views health care as an inalienable human right, and for far too long injustice and racism in myriad forms has interfered with that right," MMS President Dr. David
Rosman said.
Boston Herald: Feds need to ramp up vaccine supply, says Massachusetts Medical Society president
February 3, 2021 – "The state is ready to give out shots," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "We need the federal government to step up with its supply."
WWLP: Nearly a year later, understanding the pandemic and vaccine distribution
January 28, 2021 – "We've got good science," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said. "My physician wife and I have both taken the vaccine and... we advise our friends, our colleagues, and I advise all of you, that I would
do the same when given the opportunity."
WHDH: Mass. residents with compromised immune systems growing frustrated as they await word on COVID-19 vaccinations
January 22, 2021 – "We have had a deficiency in getting the vaccine from the federal government, getting enough doses out to the states, and getting enough resources to make sure that we can distribute as quickly as
possible," MMS President Dr. David Rosman said.
Boston Herald: Coronavirus vaccine: Hospitals throwing out extra doses is a ‘sin’
January 11, 2021 – "Although prioritization is appropriate and a good way to approach it, if a vaccine is about to be wasted, finding a willing arm is absolutely the right thing to do," MMS President Dr. David Rosman
said.
