The Vaccine Cavalry Is Coming | Patch PM

It's Monday, March 1. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• The newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine is headed to Massachusetts, something Gov. Charlie Baker said could provide a “dramatic boost” to the state’s vaccination efforts.
• All the attention is once again on longtime Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone — only now because he’s not running for reelection.
• Outdoor dining is returning to Boston as soon as it gets nice out.

Scroll down for those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Breaking Now

Joe Curtatone, the outspoken longtime mayor of Somerville known for his progressive politics, announced Monday afternoon he will not seek reelection. Curtatone, who has been mayor since 2003, said he does not know what he’ll do next, but whispers about a gubernatorial run are certain to follow.

Monday’s Top Story

A newly approved COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is on its way to Massachusetts, and it could “dramatically boost” the state’s heavily criticized vaccination rollout.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday the state is expecting thousands of doses of the vaccine next week, though it will be a few more weeks until a more significant amount arrives.

Still, the vaccine will be a big help. Unlike Moderna and Pfizer’s vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson offering just needs a single dose.

"One of the things you'll see with J&J is the ability to do certain kinds of things that would be hard to do now," Baker said.

Read the full story

Today’s Other Top Stories In Massachusetts

Spring already?: In a sign of better things to come, Boston announced it will resume outdoor dining April 1 — and even earlier, if weather allows. The city said its pilot program will offer assistance to restaurants by streamlining the permit process and accommodating outdoor patios, among other help.

BC department chair accused of sexual assault: The chair of the Boston College theology department has been accused of sexually assaulting a former classmate at the University of Notre Dame in the late 1980s. The Boston College teacher has stepped away from his post as the college investigates. The Heights, the Boston College independent newspaper first reported the accusations against Richard Gaillardetz, who denied the allegations.

They Said It

"They didn't survive the war and all the things they went through to be stuck at home because of COVID. They should be living their fullest lives and right now a lot of them are isolated."

— Brookline Rabbi Dani Eskow, who has helped dozens of Holocaust survivors and their children get vaccinated.