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T HE T UFTS DAILY
VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 52
tuftsdaily.com
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.
Racial, ethnic inequities apparent in Medford and Somerville vaccine administration by Alex Viveros News Editor
The cities of Medford and Somerville reported that 37.01% and 33.36% of their residents, respectively, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data released by both cities last week. In Medford, 57.37% of the population has received at least one shot, while Somerville reports that 58.17% have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. When broken down by race/ ethnicity, both cities show that white residents are the most vaccinated group per capita. In Medford, 38% of white residents, 20% of Black residents, 23% of Asian residents and 24%
of Hispanic residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID19 as of April 29. When counted by those who have received at least one dose, 56% of white residents, 30% of Black residents, 46% of Asian residents and 43% of Hispanic residents have received at least an initial vaccine. In Somerville, 37% of white residents are fully vaccinated, while 28% of Black residents, 23% of Asian residents and 16% of Hispanic residents have been completely immunized as of April 29. When accounting for those who have received at least one dose, 64% of white residents, 43% of Black residents, 47% of Asian residents and 29% of Hispanic residents have been given at least one shot.
Tufts Action Group publishes response to anti-racism workstream reports
SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY
Ballou Hall is pictured. by Peri Barest
Assistant News Editor
Members of the Tufts Action Group, a collective of faculty, staff and students committed to grassroots anti-racism efforts within the university, met in April to discuss and respond to the five recently published anti-racism workstream reports. TAG’s response acknowledged the progress made by the “Tufts as an Anti-Racist Institution” effort and called for increased transparency, accountability and community presence in its implementation. “We carry out this audit and share this feedback with a view to contributing grassroots insight, and to the restorative justice principle of lifting up voices and
perspectives from communities most harmed by the structures of racism at Tufts,” the group’s statement said. Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora Kris Manjapra, who is a member of TAG’s steering committee, said that the group formed last summer in response to police brutality and the killing of Black people around the country. The group has about 100 members. “Approximately 35 [members] gathered via Zoom for meetings in April, in which we reviewed, together, the workstream … with a view [of ] both wanting to recognize progress made as well as see TAG, page 3
NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY
CVS Pharmacy in Davis Square, which administers COVID-19 vaccines, is pictured on Oct. 25, 2020. It remains unclear what the effect of age may currently have on the vaccine rollout among different racial/ethnic groups in Medford and Somerville.
By the end of Phase 2 of the Commonwealth’s vaccine distribution plan — which lasted from Feb. 1 to April 18 — all individuals older than 55, along
with those with one or more medical conditions, K-12 educators and workers in certain see VACCINATIONS, page 2
Tufts students evicted from ZBT house after Walnut Hill repeatedly failed to make repairs by Chloe Courtney Bohl Assistant News Editor
In April, the three residents of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house were told to move out due to maintenance issues that began in September 2020 and that Walnut Hill, a Tufts real estate subsidiary, repeatedly failed to resolve. Omar Badr, the RA for the ZBT house, explained that the maintenance problems began early in the fall semester. Each time a resident would take a shower, water droplets would leak down from the ceiling of the house’s common area. After the leak began, the residents noticed that area of the ceiling turning yellow in color and developing cracks in the sheetrock. Badr contacted Walnut Hill, the Tufts subsidiary responsible for maintaining the ZBT house, shortly after he noticed the leaks and discoloration in the ceiling. According to Badr, they said they would send someone to look at the ceiling that week, but no one came. Weeks later, the leak had not gone away and the ceiling had begun to bulge. Badr explained that he was first able to successfully make contact with Walnut Hill in early November, when he reached them through the Tufts University Police Department. “On Sunday, the bulge [was] just hanging from the ceiling, and it [was] about to fall probably within the next hour or so,” Badr, a senior, said. “And I …
SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY
Mold is pictured growing on the ceiling of the ZBT fraternity’s common room on April 25. tried calling [Walnut Hill], that didn’t work. I called TUPD, and they managed to get me on the phone with someone. And when I finally did get on the phone, they’re like, ‘Yes, we’re aware. It should hold, it’ll be fine. We’ll get it first thing Monday morning.’ And then as soon as I hung up that call, maybe 10 minutes later, the ceiling crashed.” The residents of the ZBT house temporarily relocated to Lewis
OPINION / back
ARTS / page 6
FEATURES / page 4
Students call on ORLL for greater transparency after this year’s complicated housing selection process
Author Nimmi Gowrinathan talks female fighters with Harvard professor Jocelyn Viterna
Local sororities work toward inclusivity, accessibility
Hall so that Walnut Hill could assess and repair the damage. Robert Chihade, Tufts director of real estate, said that during that time, a contractor identified the shower as the source of the leak and restored the sheetrock and paint on the ceiling. “The plumber did not find any damage to or leaks in the see ZBT, page 3 NEWS
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