questions for the COVID-19 Update

1 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor TO: LOUIS A. DEPASQUALE, CITY MANAGER FROM: SUMBUL SIDDIQUI, MAYOR SUBJECT: COVID-19 UPDATE: QUESTIONS DATE: 4.1.2021 CC: CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL A communication from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions from City Councillors regarding the COVID-19 Public Health Update for April 5, 2021.

2 CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING: April 5, 2021 COVID-19 UPDATE QUESTIONS VICE MAYOR MALLON 1. How is CPH working to ensure that unsheltered, unhoused residents are fully vaccinated? Is CPH working with the First Step Outreach van and HSHS street outreach team to administer vaccines to unhoused residents who did not receive them while in shelter? 2. How are we ensuring Cambridge residents, or employees at organizations based in Cambridge, who do not have legal status feel safe making an appointment and getting vaccinated? The federal program administered through the drugstore program ask for State ID's, and in this eligibility group, a paystub/work ID is required to prove eligibility which many residents who do not have legal status cannot provide. How are we providing a) access to vaccines safely to these vulnerable residents and/or b) marketing information on which clinics do not ask for ID/paystubs to our residents without legal status? COUNCILLOR NOLAN 1. The City council unanimously passed a policy order asking the city to waive all operating fees for businesses, including licenses, weights and measures, annual fees, etc. Since other cities like Somerville waived fees, the Council asked for Cambridge to at least match that and do even more in light of our resources. All the business associations in the city supported that order and confirmed that it would be helpful. Businesses have had some financial help – the community foundation, mayor’s relief, federal funding, but those do not come close to filling the gaps. Small businesses across the city are still struggling and need help. To date the city has only waived 40% of a few license fees (liquor licenses) and not waived any other fees. The total impact to date has been a loss of $800,000. The city is scheduled to get $87 million in additional unplanned for funds from the American Rescue Plan, which can be used for these purposes. What are the plans for waiving more fees? 2. Cambridge continues to have relatively low number of new cases compared to the county and the state and low hospitalization and thankfully few new deaths. However, we are terrible compared to many other countries and still experiencing new cases daily. Of the new cases, do we have any sense of the origin and whether it is the new variants? We know the age is trending down, and it is primarily younger residents. Are we still doing any contact tracing and/or interview to understand how the cases are being spread? MAYOR SIDDIQUI 1. Can you share with the public what we’re learning about vaccines in children? 2. When vaccine supply becomes available, what is the plan to reach residents in North Cambridge, where we see one of the highest COVID case rates?

3 COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER 1. It was great to see the announcement that Riverbend Park will be open on Saturdays and Sundays starting on April 10. Thank you to the City Manager and staff for working with DCR to make this happen. Besides outdoor-dining, what are the current plans to give residents more space on City-owned streets for the duration of the pandemic via the shared streets program or other programs? 2. With all Massachusetts residents age 16+ soon being eligible to receive the vaccine starting on April 19, what is the City doing to get this information out to Cambridge residents and what should residents know about signing up for a vaccination (where to sign up, how long delays based on supply of doses may be, etc.)?