The Massachusetts Medical Society and its 25,000 member physicians and students are grateful to the legislature for passing and to the governor for signing a new COVID-19 related supplemental spending package. This law demonstrates the state’s continued
commitment to our patients and the health care system as we strive to deliver optimal care at an incredibly challenging time in the pandemic, punctuated by unprecedented workforce challenges and physician burnout.
We applaud the focus on health equity throughout the law, particularly in affirming support for the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative, which will augment efforts to increase vaccination rates in historically marginalized communities that have experienced
disproportionate loss and suffering since the pandemic’s onset.
Citing the pivotal role of education in children’s mental, physical and emotional development, the Medical Society has long advocated for safe in-person learning, and we are incredibly pleased that funding is allocated for high-quality masks for school
children and increased access to COVID-19 testing, especially in early education and childcare settings.
The Massachusetts Medical Society is grateful for the inclusion of liability protections that protect providers and patients alike when care is rendered under unusual and extreme circumstances. These protections are crucial as physicians and health care
teams remain resolute in their commitment to help our patients safely through the pandemic to what we all hope will be healthier times.
-Carole E. Allen, MD, MBA, FAAP, President, Massachusetts Medical Society
