>> Braude: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," THE MAN WHO LED OFF I THINK SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHY SHES WITH BEING PULLED AWAY, BECAUSE SHE LEFT HER PHONE THERE.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN TO HEAR A NOISE BANGING AT THE DOORS OUTSIDE THE CHAMBER.

AND I WAS THEN LATER INFORMED THAT WE NEEDED TO EVACUATE THE HOUSE FLOOR.

AND I BASICALLY HAD TO OVERSEE THAT.

BUT I WAS ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE OFF THE HOUSE FLOOR AND WHEN I WALKED INTO THE SPEAKER'S LOBBY WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE FLOOR, THERE WERE GLASS DOORS THERE.

AND I LOOKED TO MY LEFT AND I SAW THE DOORS BARRICADED WITH CHAIRS AND TABLES AND I SAW THIS ANGRY MOB, BREAKING THE GLASS AND I COULD SEE THE HATE IN THEIR EYES.

IT WAS LIKE LOOKING INTO EVIL.

AND I KNEW THESE WERE NOT PROTESTORS.

THESE WERE PEOPLE HERE TO DES CRATE THIS BUILDING, TO DAMAGE THIS BUILDING AND TO HARM PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT I FELT THIS GREAT SENSE OF SADNESS THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL.

>> Braude: "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORT TODAY THAT DOZENS OF PEOPLE ON THE THROW NO FLY LIST, MOSTLY WHITE SUPREMACISTS CAME TO DOWN ON JANUARY 6th.

YOU ADD THAT TO WHAT WE LEARNED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AFTER THE FBI ORIGINALLY SAID THEY HAD NO ADVANCE WARNING OF VIOLENCE, THEY ADMITTED YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE, I'M NOT SURE, THAT THE DAY BEFORE JANUARY 6th, THEY SAW A THREAD THAT TALKED ABOUT WAR, BREAKING GLASS, AS YOU SAY, AND ONE OF THE LINES SAY WE GET OUR PRESIDENT OR WE DIE.

WHAT DO THESE TWO FAILURES OF THE FBI SAY TO YOU?

>> WELL, I MEAN, CLEARLY WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND IT NEEDS TO BE FUKSED.

WE'RE JUST FORTUNATE THAT MORE PEOPLE WEREN'T HARMED OR DIDN'T DIE ON JANUARY 6th.

BUT WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

AND I MEAN CUZ IT'S INEXCUSABLE.

>> Braude: BUT DOES THAT INDICATE TO YOU, I KNOW THERE HASN'T BEEN AN INVESTIGATION YET.

IS THAT INATTENTION OR IS IT INTENT?

I MEAN IT IS RARE THAT SUCH COLOSSAL FAILURES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROTECTING PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAPPEN RIGHT IN A ROW BY THE FBI.

>> WELL, GOD, I HOPE IT ISN'T INTENT.

I HOPE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE IT WAS JUST A FAILURE THAT WE CAN FIX.

BUT CLEARLY THERE IS LOTS OF QUESTIONS.

AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASKED ME, WERE YOU AFRAID.

AND MY RESPONSE TO THEM WAS I WASN'T AFRAID BECAUSE I COULD NOT POSSIBLY IMAGINE THAT THERE COULD BE SUCH A BREACH.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEARD, YOU KNOW, THE BANGING AND THE SCREAMING, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A FEW, YOU KNOW, PROTESTORS THAT GOT THROUGH.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE THAT IT WAS ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT BREACHED SECURITY.

YOU KNOW LOOK, WE, WE HAD A CRISIS ON 9/11.

AND WE, ESTABLISHED THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND WE HAVE A HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.

AND THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU KNOW, MORE INTEROPPER RABILITY, CLEARLY IT IS NOT WORKING.

>> YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW AFTER ALL OF THAT, THAT YOU DESCRIBED, 147 OF YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES VOTED TO TRY TO OVERTURN AN ELECTION.

ONE OF THEM IS I GUESS COULD YOU SAY, THE CHIEF ATTACK DOG FOR DONALD TRUMP IN THE HOUSE, THAT IS JIM JORDAN FROM OHIO.

FIVE DAYS, SIX DAYS AFTER THAT, YOU HAD A VERY INTERESTING EXCHANGE WITH JORDAN, HERE IT IS, >> Our job as elected officials is to tell the truth.

So my question for you is, will you admit that Joe Biden won fair and square and that the election was not rigged or stolen?

>> What I did over the past several months is follow the process that the Constitution prescribes.

>> That's not the question I asked.

>> i'll get to your question.

>> I don't need a filibuster.

My question was very simple.

I'm going to ask you to make a statement that the election wasn't stolen.

>> Joe Biden is going to be sworn in as president.

JIM JORDAN AND 146 MORE, ADD TO THAT CONGRESSMAN, SOME OF YOUR DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING THEY HAVE INFORMATION POSSIBLY EVIDENCE THAT SOME OF YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ACTUALLY COLLABORATED IN ADVANCE WITH THE RIOTERS, WITH THE INSURRECTIONISTS, ONE, DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE TO THAT EFFECT AND TWO, IF IT'S TRUE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE PEOPLE?

>> WELL, ONE IS I DON'T HAVE HARD EVIDENCE, MI READING THE SAME REPORTS AS YOU ARE, THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION AND FIND OUT IF THEY WERE COLLABORATED AND IF THEY DID, THEY SHOULD BE EXPELLED.

IT TAKES A SUPERMAJORITY TO EXPEL A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT IF THERE IS EVIDENCE SHOWING THEY APPROXIMATE PART OF THE PLANNING OF THIS ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL, THIS ATTEMPTED COUP, THAN I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE A STRONG BIPARTISAN VOTE TO EXPEL THEM.

BUT GOING BACK TO JIM JORDAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT, WHAT THAT EXCHANGE WAS ABOUT WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, HE CAME TO THE RULES COMMITTEE TO SAY OH, NOW IT IS TIME TO HEAL AND TO MOVE ON AND TO UNIFY.

AND MY-- THE REASON I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION, IF YOU WANT TO HEAL AND MOVE ON, THEN YOU SHOULD SEND A MESSAGE TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE, ON THE 6th THAT THIS ELECTION WAS NOT STOLEN.

FIVE SIMPLE WORDS.

BECAUSE THAT IS THE BIG LIE THAT DONALD TRUMP AND A LOT OF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HERE, YOU KNOW, GAVE O AGAIN TO THAT CONSPIRACY THEORY.

THAT IS WHY THEY CAME HERE.

AND SO FIVE WORDS AND HE WOULD NOT SAY THEM.

AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

BECAUSE EVEN AS WE ARE TALKING HERE RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SOME IN THE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE WHO CONTINUE TO PUSH THIS LIE.

AND THAT IS WHAT YOU KNOW, IS GINNING UP THIS POTENTIAL SECONDED PROTEST THAT WE MIGHT SEE THIS WEEKEND.

WELL, YOU'VE HEARD THE REPORTS THAT SOME OF THOSE 147 WHO EITHER VOTED TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS OR WHO VOTED AGAINST IMPEACHMENT, UNLIKE THEIR TEN COURAGEOUS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, SAY THEY DID IT NOT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT BECAUSE THEY FEARED FOR THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES.

DO YOU BUY THAT.

AND IF YOU DO, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT?

>> YEAH, I MEAN LOOK, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING THREATS.

I MEAN WE'RE ALL GETTING THREATS.

THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE TIME.

BUT THE BOTTOMLINE IS YOU GOT ELECTED TO CONGRESS.

TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

SO IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THIS JOB, IF ARE YOU TOO COWARDLY TO STAND UP TO DONALD TRUMP AND THE BULLIES THAT HE ATTRACTS, THEN YOU OUGHT TO RESIGN, YOU OUGHT TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 6th WAS AN INSURRECTION.

I MEAN, IT WAS AN ATTEMPTED COUP.

IF THAT IS NOT AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE, THAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS.

>> Braude: ARE YOU WORRIED THAT THE EXTREMISTS, THERE WAS A PIECE BY GREG SERGEANT IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" YESTERDAY, SAID SAW THIS AS A COLOSSAL SUCCESS.

THEY GOT WORLDWIDE ATTENTION, THEY STOPPED THE CERTIFICATION OF THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AT LEAST FOR A FEW HOURS.

MOST OF THEM, VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM WALKED OUT OF THE CAPITOL LEAVING DEAD PEOPLE BEHIND, MAYBE A HUNDRED PLUS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

ARE YOU WORRIED THEY WILL BE BUOYED BY THAT SUCCESS, 20,000 TROOPS OR NOT COME INAUGURATION DAY AND BEYOND?

>> I AM WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

AND I'M WORRIED THAT, AS HAS BEEN REPORTED TODAY, THAT THE FBI HAS DONE A LOUSY JOB OF MONITORING DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

QUITE FRANKLY DOMESTIC TERRORISM HAS NOW BECOME A GREATER THREAT THAN TERRORISM FROM OUTSIDE.

AND SO I DO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE USING THIS THEIR OCCUPATION OF THE CAP TOMORROW AS A SIGNAL TO OTHER EXTREMIST GROUPS THAT HEY, WE ALL BAND TOGETHER, WE CAN TAKE OVER THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL AND MAYBE OTHER STATE CAPITOLS.

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY VIGILANT IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS AND WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CRACKING DOWN ON THESE HOME GROWN FASCISTS THAT YOU KNOW, ARE POPPING UP ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

THEY HAVE GOT A FREE RIDE UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE MOST OF THEM SUPPORT HIM.

BUT THE BOTTOMLINE IS THIS IS A REAL THREAT.

AND WHAT WE SAW ON WEDNESDAY WAS A REAL THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO DE RADICALIZE THIS COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S WHY A GREAT DEAL OF FOCUS NEEDS TO BE AFTER JANUARY 20th.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, I KNOW ARE YOU VERY HOPEFUL ABOUT THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESSMAN.

BUT WE TALKED ABOUT JANUARY 6th.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE DENIAL THAT SO MANY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE IN, DEEP DIVIDE IN THE CONGRESS, DEEP DIVIDE IN THE COUNTRY.

I'M SURE YOU HAVE SEEN THE POLLS.

64% OF REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THOSE WHO CONTESTED THE ELECTION.

ARE THERE MOMENTS WHEN YOU ENTERTAIN THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS IRRELIEVE-- IRRETRIEVABLY BOX EN-- BROKEN?

>> NO, I AM-- I WANT TO REMAIN HOPEFUL HERE.

LOOK, I DON'T WANT TO SUGAR COAT THIS,SIT IS GOING TO BE VERY HARD IT WILL BE VERY HARD TO DE RADICALIZE THIS POPULATION THAT DONALD TRUMP AND OTHERS HAVE GINNED UP.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE PERSISTENT AND WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON WAYS TO TRY TO BRING THIS COUNTRY TOGETHER.

AND YOU KNOW LOOKK.

OTHER THING IS WE HAVE TO INSIST THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR POLITICAL PER SITUATION MAY BE, STICK TO THE FACTS.

WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS BUT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO AGREE ON THE FACTS.

AND WHAT IS SO FRUSTRATING ABOUT THIS CURRENT MOMENT IS THAT THIS PROTEST AND DONALD TRUMP'S GRIEVEANCES ARE REALLY THE PROMOTION OF A BIG LIE.

THERE IS NO BASIS TO SAY THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS, REPUBLICAN SECRETARIES OF STATE, REPUBLICAN APPOINTED JUDGES, EVEN THE SUPREME COURT THAT HE PACKED HAVE ALL SAID THERE IS NOTHING HERE.

HIS OWN ATTORNEY GENERAL, BILL BARR WHO IS THE BIGGEST APOLOGIST FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION YOU COULD IMAGINE SAID THERE IS NOTHING HERE.

BUT TRUMP CONTINUES TO BUILD UP THIS BIG LIE AND SO WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY WHERE THE NEWS MEDIA, WHERE POLITICIANS STICK TO THE FACTS.

THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE SOME NETWORKS THAT ENGAGE IN PROMOTING CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY DAMAGING TO OUR DEMOCRACY AT THIS POINT.

AND THAT IS WHAT IS RED KAL-- RADICALIZE SOG MANY PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY.

DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN SAID WE ARE ALL ENTITLE THED TO OUR OWN OPINIONS BUT NOT TO OUR OWN SET OF FACTS.

WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE FACTS.

>> HOPE YOU FIND THE PATH, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, AND BE SAFE.

>> Braude: YOU TOO.

A month now into the federal vaccine roll-out, The growing pains don't seem to be getting much better.

After yet another record number of COVID deaths yesterday, more than 4,300, just over 11 million first doses have been administered so far nationwide.

That's a little over half the goal the Trump administration predicted they'd hit in the first two weeks.

Here in Massachusetts-- with a little over 3,000 first doses given per 100,000 people-- We're falling behind every other New England state, plus New York, in administration rates.

The state's more than 4,500 first responders just started getting their vaccines this week, with a new mass vaccination site at Gillette Stadium aiming to speed things up.

But, home health workers-- Who were supposed to get vaccinated this month as well-- recently learned they won't be getting their shots for weeks more.

And for populations set to be ELIGIBLE in Phase two-- which recently includes people over 75 years old-- things are even more confusing, With no clear information about exactly when, where, or how they'll be able to get vaccinated so far, And local health officials complaining the state's been leaving them in the dark about nearly all of it.

As Brookline's H.H.S.

director told The "Boston Globe," "The rollout from the governor's office and the command center has been very poor.

It's very last-minute."

And as for the C.D.C.

's new recommendation that anyone over 65 be immediately ELIGIBLE-- a recommendation some states have already taken-- The Governor is defending his office's decision to hold off.

>> I know this isn't popular, but I really hope that early on we are able, with the vaccine that's available, to hit the populations for whom life is most at risk and for whom the health care system relies on.

I do know that in a lot of states, people who are the same age as my kids have gotten vaccinated before people who are home health workers or health care workers or long-term care workers or long-term care residents.

Honestly, I just don't think that's the way we should do this.

>> Braude: Is he right?

I'm joined now by Sam Scarpino, director of Northeastern's Emergent Epidemics Lab And chief of the Brookline Fire Department, and John Sullivan, Who's also been coordinating the town's vaccine roll-out, as their emergency management director.

And once again, I want to note for those of you who ask us why we don't invite the Baker administration on when have these discussions?

I assure you, we do.

And we did again today, Which brings our total number of requests since the start of the pandemic to 12 specifically for Governor Baker; 17 for his public health commissioner; 21 for his health secretary; And a handful of times, including today, asking for anyone in the administration to join us.

At this point, they're not even responding.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN ME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WELCOMENESS WE PUT UP AGAIN, IF YOU WITH, EYE CHARTED WE DID OF OUR RANKINGS.

AND THIS IS VACCINATION RATING OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATE, NEW YORK AND MASS MASS.

AND AS YOU SEE, CONNECTICUT TOPS NEW ENG LAN, NEW YORK IS JUST AHEAD OF US.

WE ARE DEAD LAST IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK NUMBER 27, PUTS US ROUGHLY IN THE MIDDLE.

NATIONALLY, SAM, STARTING WITH YOU, WHY IS ONE OF THE HEALTH CARE CAPITOLS OF THE WORLD DEAD LAST IN NEW ENGLAND, AND AS I SAID IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK IN AMERICA?

>> I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I FIND IT VERY SURPRISING AND VERY CONCERNING.

WE ARE RIGHT AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT HAS BEEN COVERED AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS ACCEPTABLE.

AND WE ARE BELOW AVERAGE IN TERMS OF THE PROPORTION OF DELIVERED VACCINES WE HAVE PUT IN PEOPLE'S ARMS WHICH I THINK IS VERY MUCH UNACCEPTABLE.

>> Braude: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, SAM, WHAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING?

YOU CAN SEE IN NEW ENGLAND, WHAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING THAT APPARENTLY ARE PUMPING UP THEIR NUMBERS THAT WE ARE NOT?

>> WELL, I KNOW THE STATE OF MAINE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BEEN RUNNING EXERCISES FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS NOW DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINE, SETTING UP CLINICS, RECRUITING WORKERS TO VACCINATE.

AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THE SAME KIND OF COORDINATED EFFORT FROM THE STATE.

I KNOW THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE KIND OF COORDINATED EFFORT FROM THE STATE THAT HAS OCCURRED IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING STATES.

>> Braude: JOHN, IF I CAN MOVE TO YOU, THAT IS WHAT I READ REPORTS IN THE GLOBE THIS MORNING, COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE.

IT SEEMS A LOT OF LOCAL OFFICIALS LIKE YOU AND THE HEAD OF HHS IN YOUR COMMUNITY ARE SAYING THE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN POOR, IT IS LAST MINUTE.

IS THAT THE PROBLEM, THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE LOCALS WHO ARE AT THE CENTER OF THIS AND THE STATE?

>> I BELIEVE IT IS, JIM.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE HAS BEEN ROLLING OUT THE VACCINE SINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS GOTTEN IT TO THEM.

BUT IT HAS BEEN CHOPPY.

WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL LAST, YOU KNOW, LAST FEW WEEKS THAT THEY WERE EVEN GOING TO ENGAGE US TO DO IT.

AND THEN THAT, YOU KNOW, REQUEST CAME THROUGH IN MID DECEMBER AND THEN YOU KNOW, THEN THE ROLLOUT GOT CHOPPY FROM THERE.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN READY TO GO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF GREAT COMMUNICATION DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO THE LOCAL OFFICIALS.

>> Braude: COLLATERALIE BAKER IS ONE OF THE SMARTEST PEOPLE I KNOW.

AND HAS A HEALTH BACKGROUND.

MARY LOU SUTORS IS STUNNINGLY COMPETENT AND COMMITTED.

WHAT DO YOU ASCRIBE THIS TO, CHIEF, WHAT IS GOING ON, DO YOU KNOW?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE RECEIVING THE VACCINE BUT NOT SO MUCH ON DISTRIBUTION.

I KNOW THEY DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK AT THE STATE LEVEL, TO TRY AND GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO US.

BUT THOSE PATHWAYS HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, ROBUST FOR YEARS.

AND LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED FOREVER.

AND SO IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DO, TO DO AT THE LAST MINUTE.

>> YOU KNOW, SAM, ONE OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR SAID, I BELIEVE IT WAS YESTERDAY WHEN A BUNCH OF REPORTERS PRESSED HIM ON THIS ISSUE, IS HE ACKNOWLEDGED IT HAD BEEN A BUMPEE START, BUMPY BEING HIS WORD.

BUT HE BLAMED IT IN PART AT LEAST ON THE FACT THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH INTELLIGENCE FROM THE FED AS TO WHEN APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF DOSES WERE GOING TO COME ALONG.

HE SAID IT WAS GETTING BETTER.

BUT I GUESS MAY RESPONSE TO THAT IS EVERY STATE IS IN THAT SAME POSITION AND ALL THESE OTHER STATES APPARENTLY HAVE DEALT MUCH BETTER WITH THAT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAN WE HAVE, NO?

>> THAT IS ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THIS THAT I FIND MOST PERPLEXING.

WE KNOW THAT GOVERNOR BAKER HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA.

I THINK WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM THAT BACK IN THE SPRING IN TERMS OF ACQUIRING PPE AND GETTING THAT DISTRIBUTED ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WEREN'T GETTING IT FROM THE FEDS.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE VACCINE ROLLOUT WHICH IS SUR PLIESING-- SURPRISING.

>> Braude: BACK TO, YOU ARE ON THE GROUND.

YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING THIS THING.

IS THERE AN ISSUE OF NOT ENOUGH PERSON POWER TO ADMINISTER THE SHOTS OR IS THAT NOT A PROBLEM?

IS THAT A PROBLEM?

>> NO, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE WITH OUR MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS AND OUR VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GIVE THE VACCINATION.

WE'RE JUST BEING TOLD LAST MINUTE WHAT OUR GROUPING IS AND THEN WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE FOR THAT.

AND IT'S NOT AS IF WE HAVE GOT THESE PEOPLE STANDING AT THE DOOR READY TO GO.

WE HAVE TO CONTACT THEM AND THEN CREATE THE CLINICS AND GET THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS PEOPLE AND OUR VOLUNTEERS IN PLACE.

AND THEN GET THE ROLLOUT.

SO IT HAS JUST BEEN A LITTLE CHOPPY.

I THINK WE'LL GET, YOU KNOW, MORE SEEMLESS AS WE MOVE ALONG, AS THOSE COMMUNICATION GROUPS BECOME BETTER.

>> Braude: AND A SEUM THERE IS NOT A LACK OF INTEREST.

I MEAN EVERYBODY I KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW THE HESITANT PEOPLE, I KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING.

AND I DON'T MEAN THAT LITERALLY, I A VERY POOR CHOICE OF WORDS, WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING TO BE IN A PRIORITY GROUP AND GET A SHOT.

YOU ARE NOT HAVING PROBLEMS ON THAT FRONT, ARE YOU, CHIEF?

>> NO, NO.

BEV'S GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLING AND ASKING WHERE THEY FIT IN, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY FIT IN SO THAT WE CAN CALM THE ANGST ABOUT WHEN A PERSON IS GOING TO GET THEIR VACCINE.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, SAM, ONE OF THE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WE PLAYED A LITTLE SOUND FROM THE GOVERNOR BEING ASKED A QUESTION, WHY ARE PLACES LIKE MAINE DROPPED THE AGE TO 70, CONNECTICUT TO 65, NEW YORK TO 65, THE CDC IS RECOMMENDING 65.

WHY AREN'T WE DOING IT.

BUT I SAY TO MYSELF, THE CDC SAYS WE HAVE ALMOST 700,000 DOSES IN MASSACHUSETTS.

WE HAVE ONLY DONE ROUGHLY 240,000 SHOTS.

SO AT LEAST AT THE MOMENT SUPPLY IS NOT OUR ISSUE.

HOW DOES EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY SOLVE, WHAT PROBLEM DOES IT SOLVE?

IS IT JUST THAT IF IT IS A LARGER POOL, IT IS EASIER TO PICK PEOPLE WHEN THE COMMUNICATION IS NOT AS SMOOTH AS IT SHOULD BE?

IS THAT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT?

>> IT DOES CERTAINLY SOUND LIKE OUR BIGGEST SLOO RIGHT NOW IS AROUND COMMUNICATION.

I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCAL LEADERS THAT THEY HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS, THE RESERVE CORPS THEY NEED TO ADD-- ADMINISTER, JUST COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION FROM THE STATE IS LACKING.

>> Braude: I WANTS A QUICK RESPONSE FROM BOTH OF YOU.

THE GOVERNOR TOOK SOME HEAT AND I ADMIRE HIM FOR HIS COURAGE TO DO THIS.

HE EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY TO THE CONGREGATE SETTINGS WHICH INCLUDE PRISONS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY THAT PRISONERS ARE GETTING VACCINATED AHEAD OF THEM.

DO EITHER OF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BY THE WAY?

SAM OR JOHN, CHIEF, NO?

YES, NO?

>> I PERSONALLY DON'T.

I THINK WE HAVE AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION AS A SOCIETY TO PROTECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

>> Braude: OKAY.

HOW ABOUT IT, CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

>> GENERALLY SPEAKING, NO, I THINK CONGREGATE CARE SETTINGS INCLUDING PRISONS ARE A VULNERABLE POPULATION THAT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED.

>> Braude: WE ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT, 15 FOR EACH, IF THE GOVERNOR IS LISTENING, STARTING WITH YOU, CHEAF, WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING IT HAS TO CHANGE TO MAKE THIS DISTRIBUTION, THESE SHOTS BE IN PEOPLE'S ARMS FASTER, QUICKLY.

>> WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE STATE'S PLANS ARE PRIOR TO THEM ROLLING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

THE MUNICIPALITIES NEED THAT INFORMATION EARLIER.

>> Braude: HOW ABOUT IT, SAM?

>> I AGREE COMPLETELY, COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES AND LOCAL LEADERS.

>> Braude: FAIR ENOUGH, >> Braude: Sam Scarpino, John Sullivan, thanks.

OY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR WORK, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH MERE.

>> THANK YOU.

If you watch the show at all regularly, you may recognize the name Laura Levis.

Her husband, former "Globe" reporter Peter demarco, wrote a piece several years back about her death And the many emergency response, health care, and individual failures that led to it.

Laura felt an asthma attack coming on early one morning in 2016 And around 4:00 a.m., she walked by herself to Somerville Hospital, part of the Cambridge Health Alliance.

She walked up the hill and found two separate entrances.

The first she tried was locked.

She got within 29 feet of the second door, but her attack was so bad at that point, she had to sit on a bench.

She called 9-1-1 And told the operator she was in the parking lot of the hospital, and that she was dying.

By the time that operator transferred Laura to local police in Somerville, she could barely speak.

An E.R.

nurse went out to look for her briefly, just 12 seconds, before going back inside, And the security guards who were usually at the front desk, and might have seen her, had been reassigned that day.

Emergency crews ultimately found Laura about ten minutes after she placed the 9-1-1 call And by that time, she'd gone into cardiac arrest.

six days later, Laura Levis, an otherwise healthy, active, 34-year-old woman, died of hypoxic brain injury.

Her husband Peter had, at first, publicly praised the doctors and nurses who tried to save his wife, Writing a letter the month after her death, which appeared in the "New York Times."

But that was before he learned of all the failures Laura encountered before she collapsed.

And after that, as he told us back in 2018, he turned his attention to advocacy.

>> The whole reason I wrote this story, to publicize Laura's story, was to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

The only thing I can do to move forward is to try to make a difference here.

For the past two years, her Peter has been fighting to pass "Laura's Law," which would ensure safe patient access to Massachusetts Emergency Rooms at all times, by establishing first ever rules for signage, lighting and the monitoring of doors.

Peter had all but given up hope of that bill being passed in this legislative session, Until friends, colleagues, years-old acquaintances, members of the state's asthma community, and hundreds of others started calling state legislators--Begging them not to forget this issue.

Now, thanks to their relentlessness, tomorrow, Governor Charlie Baker will sign "Laura's Law."

As Peter said to us in an email, democracy in action.

And hopefully, democracy will save some lives.

Remembering some of the people behind the far too fast rising COVID death tolls, with the help of the "Faces of Covid" Twitter account, Like 88-year-old Sister Dorothy Cooper of Lawrence, Who was a Sister of Charity of Montreal for 66 years.

She was also a nurse and had a, "long and distinguished career as a hospital administrator."

Then there was 86-year-old Rita Cameron of Holyoke, Who, like far too many others, "died without any family being able to visit or say goodbye."

Her family said she was, "quiet, but when she spoke, she was sarcastic and funny.

She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren."

And 73-year-old Sharon Shaughnessy of Pembrooke, Whose family said, "She loved to sing, to dance, to break bread with family and neighbors.

She didn't deserve this.

But, at least she is with her son and partner, who she missed terribly."

If you've lost someone to the pandemic and would like to share their story, Please, visit Twitter.com/FacesofCOVID.

That's it for tonight, but come back tomorrow for "Beat the Press."

Emily Rooney and her panel will take up Just who's fair game in identifying attendees of that pro-Trump rally-turned insurrectionist riot, And the debate over the media's role in the rise of Trump goes on.

That and more, tomorrow at 7:00.

I'll be back next week.

Thanks for watching and stay safe.

CCW BC.DOT is a Word template Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org