Boston Disability Commission Hears COVID-19 Briefing, Flags Testing Access Gaps

Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6265 · Meeting of July 22, 2026

Boston Disability Commission holds first remote meeting, raising COVID-19 access concerns for disabled residents. The commission, meeting virtually for the first time, heard a COVID-19 briefing from Rita Nieves, Interim Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, who reported 6,010 cases and 196 deaths in Boston as of April 21, with Mattapan (48 percent positivity rate), East Boston (47 percent), and parts of Dorchester and Hyde Park (42 percent) hardest hit. Commission member Wesley Ireland pressed the Boston Public Health Commission to encourage clear face masks at essential service locations for residents who rely on lip reading; Nieves said she would flag it for healthcare settings and businesses.

Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh reported that tens of thousands of masks had been distributed to SEIU for PCA workers, that PCAs had received a 10 percent pay raise retroactive to April 1, that the 50-hour PCA overtime cap had been lifted, and that expired disability parking placards were protected from ticketing through at least May 4. Chair Jerry Boyd announced The RIDE paratransit service, down 90 percent in ridership, was preparing a program to transport PCAs to client homes at standard fare.

In the full story:

• Opening and Roll Call
• Approval of February Minutes
• COVID-19 Public Health Briefing — Rita Nieves, Boston Public Health Commission
• Chair's Report — Boyd
• Commissioner's Report — McCosh
• Adjournment
• The complete report — 2,584 words

Source: the Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6265 meeting of July 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.