Listen to the interview with Helen Caulton-Harris.
In an effort to boost coronavirus vaccination rates in Springfield, Massachusetts, Mayor Domenic Sarno appointed a committee of medical experts and community leaders.
The group, dubbed the “Vax Force,” has developed strategies to promote vaccination as safe and effective and to debunk myths and rumors and counter misinformation.
Springfield Police Officer John Toledo fired for social media policy violation
Updated Mar 15, 2021;
SPRINGFIELD Another police officer has been fired for violating the department’s social media policy, an increasingly thorny issue for municipal employees in this and other local cities.
A spokesman for the Springfield Police Department confirmed Officer John Toledo was fired on March 5 after four years on the job. While Public Information Officer Ryan Walsh declined to offer up more details, sources familiar with the matter told The Republican that Toledo took a photo of a handcuffed, male prisoner on his cellphone then sent it to a number of friends.
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Approaching the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus public health emergency in Massachusetts on Wednesday, there is optimism as new COVID-19 cases fall and vaccinations increase.
In Springfield, the weekly tally of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline from the peaks of earlier this winter.
The numbers are skewing better, said Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.
Speaking at his weekly COVID-19 response briefing, Sarno said there were 391 new confirmed cases of the disease last week, down from 414 the week before. Springfield recorded 4,496 cases last December, 4,342 in January and 2170 last month.
We are heading in the right direction, Sarno said. We can t let our guard down. We must stay ever vigilant and we ll continue to work together and soon someday we won t have to wear these masks.