City moves to increase Covid-19 testing; one hospital says nearly 90% of Covid-19 patients in ICU are unvaccinated

Mayor Wu said the metropolis installed heating tents extracurricular the Anna Cole Covid-19 investigating tract successful Jackson Square contiguous truthful that if radical proceed to person to hold successful a agelong enactment for a test, astatine slightest they don't person to freeze.

But astatine a property league aft touring the investigating tract astatine Tufts Medical Center, Wu said the metropolis is besides present readying a "high capacity" investigating tract for walk-in patients, perchance astatine the Reggie Lewis Center successful Roxbury, to assistance alleviate the hold - which has sometimes reached 3 hours - for investigating astatine Boston's progressively overburdened existing trial sites.

She said the metropolis is present trying to enactment up an online strategy to fto radical cognize what the hold times mightiness beryllium astatine specific sites.

Wu added that astatine Tufts, the "vast majority" of Covid-19 patients astatine Boston hospitals present are unvaccinated. Dr. Helen Boucher, an infectious-disease specializer astatine Tufts, said that "almost 90%" of the radical successful the hospital's ICU with Covid-19 are unvaccinated.

Wu and infirmary officials said that 1 of the issues with having ample pockets of unvaccinated patients successful infirmary beds is that that causes a ripple effect arsenic hospitals are forced to cancel oregon postpone procedures for patients who request different types of aesculapian care.

Wu said that astir 650 BPS teachers were retired today, some due to the fact that of Covid-19 and different reasons. But she said that astatine immoderate schools, up to a 4th of each teachers are retired - and that cardinal administrators, including Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, were summoned for teaching work today.

She said BPS whitethorn person to look astatine "snow day" scenarios astatine harder deed schools due to the fact that of the state's continuing "rigidity" successful not allowing immoderate distant learning astatine all.

Wu added she is assured that the bulk of metropolis workers who person yet to get shots volition bash the close happening and get shots by Jan. 15, erstwhile the city's caller vaccine mandates spell into effect. The mandates some necessitate each metropolis workers to get astatine slightest their archetypal changeable by past and necessitate radical to amusement impervious of astatine slightest 1 changeable to participate restaurants, museums, arenas, gyms and different nationalist indoor spaces.