Government

Physician Wanted to Serve on Watertown Board of Health

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Watertown is seeking a Physician to be a member on the Board of Health for a term expiring February 2023. Board of Health members develop policy, rules and regulations that guides the Public Health of our community in Watertown. State law requires that at least one member of the Board is a Physician. The Board of Health provides for fulfillment of its duties under M.G.L. 111:5, 26-33 and other sections including enforcement of the state Sanitary and Environmental Codes, reporting diseases dangerous to the public health, and enforcement of other applicable state and local laws and regulations. The Board of Health determines the health needs of the community (and the health services available to the community) in terms of the size and characteristics of the population, specific health problems, and environmental conditions.

Around Town

Board of Health Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate Citing Sharp Increases in COVID-19 Cases

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People must wear face masks or coverings in Watertown while inside after the Board of Health reinstated the indoor face covering mandate Monday night. Health Director Larry Ramdin said cases of COVID-19 in Watertown have increased sharply since early November, and recommended the indoor face mask mandate be reinstated. The Board of Health voted unanimously to start the mandate on Dec. 21, 2021, and it will be in effect until rescinded by the Board. “We have had an explosion of cases in Town since the 3rd of November,” Ramdin said.

Board of Health

LETTER: Resident Wants Board of Health to Rescind Indoor Mask Mandate

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Hello Friends and Neighbors,

On August 23, 2021, a Watertown non-elected local governmental body decided that 36,000 Watertown residents must, as of August 25, 2021, wear masks while indoors stating, ‘The Watertown Board of Health has issued an Order mandating the wearing of face coverings indoors throughout Watertown.”

In so doing, a small group of appointed individuals with varying levels of medical and public health credentialing mandated that we, the residents of Watertown, MA, cannot decide for ourselves when and where to wear a mask to manage our own health. The Watertown Board of Health’s (Board) mask mandate is troubling. The Board has decided that 36,000 people are incapable of discerning their own private health needs and risk tolerance. In forcing a mask mandate, the Board effectively treats Watertown’s population like children who lack judgment. The Board’s insistence on a mask mandate in light of the data should give us pause.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Named Vice Chair of EPA Board, Fellow of Scientific Association

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Dr. Barbara Beck. Watertown resident Barbara Beck, a longtime member of the Board of Health, received two recent honors involving her work in toxicology. Recently she was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was also appointed to serve as vice chair of the Science Advisory Board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Becoming an AAAS fellow was a recognition by Beck’s peers. “It is really an honor. It doesn’t involve any activities,” Beck said.

Government

Board of Health Member Named Fellow of National Group, Also Vice Chair of EPA Board

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Dr. Barbara Beck. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

Dr. Barbara Beck, Watertown Board of Health Member was recently named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. 

Dr. Beck was elected as an AAAS Fellow for “For meritorious contributions to the fields of toxicology and risk assessment, particularly for pioneering work on the evaluation of health risks of environmental chemicals.” Additionally, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced her appointment to serve as Vice-Chair of the Science Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Beck will continue her service as a Watertown Board of Health Member throughout her term as Vice-Chair of the SAB.