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As US surpasses 500,000 COVID deaths, experts reflect on what could have been

The United States has reached a calamitous milestone that crystallizes a year of grief and anguish: 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19. Scientists said that while the pandemic has not been as deadly as it might have been, the US’s toll — the highest in the world — is far greater than it had to be.
Biden marks 500,000 US covid deaths at ceremony

Charts: Signs suggest the pandemic is weakening, but experts still urge caution

Coronavirus case and death numbers in Massachusetts and across the nation are on the decline. But experts, worried about the arrival of new variants stoking another surge, are urging people to continue to take precautions — and get vaccinated.

Lonely, isolated COVID-19 patients get lifeline: Doctor creates pilot program for vaccinated hospital workers to sit with them
“This dying alone business just seemed so wrong from a human point of view,” Dr. Ben Moor said.

Santiago, a South End lawmaker, launches bid for Boston mayor
Jon Santiago, an emergency room doctor and second-term state representative, is joining the Boston mayoral field.

Mass. coronavirus at a glance |
Vaccinations
Daily doses:
Weekly doses:
1st dose received:
Fully vaccinated:
% of doses used:
7-day trend/avg.:
Cases and deaths
Cases
Today
Deaths
Today
Other resources:
SOURCE: Mass. Dept. of Public Health

THE GREAT DIVIDETo help low-income students, build more affordable housing in high-performing school districts, report says
Massachusetts and other New England states should create more affordable housing in well-to-do suburbs in an effort to provide low-income students greater access to a high-quality education, according to a report released Monday.

Eight years after Walsh’s promises, Boston prekindergarten is still not universal

The pre-K program in Boston Public Schools is well-regarded, but without universal capacity, the spots tend to go to savvier families who know about the early application deadline.

A Beautiful Resistance | Jeneé Osterheldt
The Black history I carry with me: Colette Greenstein
Colette Greenstein is an entertainment publicist as well as a contributing A&E writer for the Bay State Banner.

Opinion

EDITORIAL

Despite census delays, accuracy must be the top goal of redistricting

States should prioritize getting it right over getting it fast.
Susan Hockfield and Ernest J. Moniz

George Shultz — an environmentalist and technologist ahead of his time
EDITORIAL

Restaurants don’t need indoor dining. They need a bailout.
Joan Vennochi

For Charlie Baker, ‘sorry’ is the hardest word
Marcela García

The Biden administration is deporting hundreds of Haitians to a country mired in political chaos

Project takeout: Get takeout. Save restaurants you love.
Ordering dinner will help small local businesses survive the pandemic. But that’s just the start.

3 restaurants we supported this week Learn more about Project Takeout

The Black history I carry with me

A Beautiful Resistance — a special project from the Globe's culture columnist Jeneé Osterheldt — is celebrating Black History Month by amplifying local stories of change-makers and the people inspired by them.

peter abraham
We finally got to see the new-look Red Sox take the field; here’s what we saw
Monday was the first full-squad workout at JetBlue Park, and the scene was a lot quieter than it normally would be.

Cam Newton opened up about his season with the Patriots on a podcast. Here’s what we learned
On the "I Am Athlete" podcast hosted by ex-NFL players Brandon Marshall, Fred Taylor, and Chad Johnson, Newton went deep on his one season in New England.

What will ‘Mahty’ Walsh be like as labor secretary? Comedian Julia Claire demonstrates
The comedian, who grew up Medfield, gets the accent right, in imagining Walsh's first day on the new job.

Mamaleh’s uses new funding model, NuMarket, to help open second location in Brookline
The company announced Monday that it has launched a $180,000 fundraising effort to help with the opening of a new cafe in Brookline’s Washington Square.

At risk and overlooked: Homebound seniors left out of R.I.’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout
Homebound seniors aren’t supposed to leave their homes, but some are taking chances to receive their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Smith College president denies former employee’s claim of hostile environment for white workers
The message came after a staff member resigned while claiming in her own public letter that she had experienced discrimination as a white person.

As Toast IPO rumor swirls, restaurant owners express support for the tech firm
Toast declined to comment on the IPO rumors, saying it doesn’t discuss “speculated financial transactions.”

State board OKs controversial East Boston substation; foes vow to appeal
Critics were not satisfied. They maintained that East Boston, home to Logan International Airport, is already burdened with environmental problems. They are also concerned that the site will flood, which they fear could lead to an explosion or fire.

Recommended reads

Is it COVID… or a bad slice of meatloaf?

With new variants surging and cases high, it’s easy to jump to the worst-case scenario.

Thousands of Mass. hospital workers have been sickened with COVID since the start of the pandemic
They’ve been on the front lines of the pandemic for almost a year. They’ve battled under grueling conditions. They’ve saved lives and watched people die. And a staggering number of health care workers statewide — more than 14,000 — have become sick themselves.

MUSEUMS
Once buried, a cache of images from Poland’s Lodz Ghetto emerges at the MFA
For decades, a survivor cherished and quietly guarded this rare set of photographs.

metro

Santiago, a South End lawmaker, launches bid for Boston mayor
Jon Santiago, an emergency room doctor and second-term state representative, is joining the Boston mayoral field.

A Beautiful Resistance | Jeneé Osterheldt

The Black history I carry with me: Colette Greenstein

Smith College president denies former employee’s claim of hostile environment for white workers

Sports

Utah Jazz set records for 3-pointers in rout of Hornets
Utah hit a franchise-high 28 3-pointers, including 19 off the bench, which is the most by any team's backups in NBA history.

After a pandemic pause, football players, coaches across the state eagerly returned to work on first day of Fall II practice

Wife’s heartfelt post appears to spill Albert Pujols is retiring after 2021 season

business

Facebook says it will lift its Australian news ban soon
Facebook said on Tuesday it will lift its ban on Australians sharing news after a deal was struck with Australia’s government on legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism.

South Boston warehouses once considered by Amazon will become...what else? Lab space

Goodyear to buy Cooper, joining two American tire companies

politics

Supreme Court denies Trump’s final bid to block release of financial records
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a last-ditch attempt by former President Trump to shield his financial records, issuing a brief, unsigned order requiring Trump’s accountants to turn over his tax and other records to prosecutors in New York.

Biden attempt to resurrect Iran nuke deal off to bumpy start

GOP working to block Biden’s health care pick; Democrats unfazed

lifestyle

Names
What will ‘Mahty’ Walsh be like as labor secretary? Comedian Julia Claire demonstrates
The comedian, who grew up Medfield, gets the accent right, in imagining Walsh's first day on the new job.

Names

Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen launch ‘Renegades’ podcast on Spotify

‘Eastern Standard will forever be the standard in our eyes’: Readers recall scenes from life moments, big and small

arts

ASK MATTHEW
If you enjoyed ‘Your Honor,’ who am I to judge?
As a critic, I don’t pretend my opinions are the correct ones, or even the best ones; they’re just mine.

COMFORT ZONE

Tatiana de Rosnay on ‘Sarah’s Key,’ Boston memories, and her scary new novel
COMFORT ZONE

Stars to come out (remotely) for a new Boston clinic for homeless women

rhode island

Raimondo transfers budget powers to McKee via executive order
The Lieutenant Governor has been working on his own budget proposal all along, but Raimondo’s order directed state departments to cooperate with him in his efforts.

RI ARTS

Newport Music Festival plans a summer of genre-defying concerts
CORONAVIRUS

At risk and overlooked: Homebound seniors left out of R.I.’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Newton

Special Projects

A Beautiful Resistance celebrates Black History Month

A Beautiful Resistance, in a special collaboration with Reebok, celebrate Black History Month. Black Joy. Black Wellness. Black Futures.
See more from 'A Beautiful Resistance' Follow on Instagram

On the Street

In tackling the pandemic, Chelsea finds new strength

Brockton offers a gateway to a new generation

This time, Quincy Center’s revival looks legit

Revere was going through a revival before COVID-19. Can it stay on track?

See more from our business series ‘On the Street’: The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods

More

Boston Globe launches ‘Fresh Start’ initiative: People can apply to have past coverage about them reviewed
Similar to “right to forget” programs that have cropped up across the country, the undertaking is meant to address the lasting impact that stories about past embarrassments, mistakes, or minor crimes, forever online, can have on a person’s life.

Last Words: Is death the great equalizer?
Quite the contrary, a Spotlight investigation shows. Death exposes in high relief the layers of inequities, in race and income, care and opportunity, that shape life down to its final hours. It is a truth the pandemic has only underscored — one hard to see, because it is so much easier to look away.

I knew getting prostate cancer at 48 would change me. I had no idea how much
For the past year, Mark Shanahan has been working on Mr. 80 Percent, a six-episode podcast miniseries about his experience with prostate cancer. It’s a deeply personal, sometimes harrowing, often funny story about a disease that affects millions of men. The heroes are his doctors and family, who put up with some appalling behavior. You’ll hear from both.

Comfort Zone

COMFORT ZONE

The only typewriter shop in town has its hands full

A device that was once an office essential has been reborn as a creative tool embraced by young folks — which means Cambridge Typewriter owner Tom Furrier has been plenty busy.
ASK MATTHEW

10 reader-approved TV shows for parents and tweens

We asked for suggestions, and from "Sherlock" to "Green Acres," readers responded.
COMFORT ZONE

Henry Louis Gates Jr. on his new documentary and the role of the Black church in social justice

Henry Louis Gates Jr. on his newest work for PBS, "The Black Church," premiering Feb. 16.
COMFORT ZONE

Join a sea shanty sing-along with Gloucester’s David Coffin

The Revels artist-in-residence will lead the event on Facebook Live.

Local puzzle swapping groups offer an unexpected remedy to the pandemic blues

In the midst of a pandemic, and winter weather, puzzles are a great way for people to entertain themselves inside. Puzzling also helps people feel less alone.

Lynn native Amanda Mena brings her hope for ‘better days’ to ‘American Idol’

She hopes her audition song, Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of “Golden Slumbers,” will strike a chord for listeners “waiting for better days.”

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

EDITORIAL

Restaurants don’t need indoor dining. They need a bailout.
UMass School of Medicine Specialists

Remove the waiver requirement for buprenorphine prescribing
EDITORIAL

It’s time to fix the Affordable Care Act
Brandon D.L. Marshall and Ashish K. Jha

Overdose prevention sites save lives
IDEAS | JIM KRANE

Can Saudi Arabia use ‘clean oil’ to buy time in the fight against climate change?
IDEAS | FRANK PASQUALE

Now that science fiction is reality, it’s time for new laws of robotics

STAT

The Road Ahead: Charting the pandemic over the next 12 months — and beyond
In this project, STAT describes 30 key moments, possible turning points that could steer the pandemic onto a different course or barometers for how the virus is reshaping our lives.

From a small N.C. town to big-city hospitals, how software infuses racism into U.S. health care
The racial bias can produce huge differences in assessing patients’ need for special care to manage conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or depression, a STAT investigation found.

Covid-19’s wintry mix: Dry indoor air helps the virus spread
The worry is not just that people might mingle more closely inside, but that the air they breathe will make the virus more dangerous.

In the Covid-19 death of a hospital food worker, a microcosm of the pandemic
The hospital's first employee to die of Covid-19 was a kitchen worker named Marie Deus — and her illness sparked a question. Why weren't bedside clinicians getting sick at the highest rates?

magazine
My Boston History

We loved ‘The Nutcracker.’ We rejoiced at ‘Black Nativity’
My Boston History

Why New Edition’s breakout success meant so much to kids like me growing up in Roxbury

Perspective

Small businesses need help. And it’s time for insurance companies to pay up
Cooking

Egg recipes for when you’re scrambling for dinner

sports

Xander Bogaerts, now the old sage of the Red Sox at 28, relishes role

A sense of stability and togetherness has helped both veterans and youngsters acclimate to the Bruin way

Avery Burns has Nauset girls off to a roaring start in the Cape & Islands tournament

metro

State board OKs controversial East Boston substation; foes vow to appeal

Raimondo transfers budget powers to McKee via executive order

MBTA won’t cut off late-night commuter rail riders

Nation

In backing South Carolina GOP chair, Trump remains active

Supreme Court denies Trump’s final bid to block release of financial records

Biden attempt to resurrect Iran nuke deal off to bumpy start

World

Afghan peace talks resume, but path is anything but certain

Vaccines sharply cut coronavirus hospitalization, UK studies show

The pandemic is receding in the worst hotspots. Will it last?

politics

Bipartisan Senate inquiry on Capitol insurrection will begin with scrutiny of security failures

Interior nominee Haaland vows ‘balance’ on energy, climate

Biden marks 500,000 US coronavirus deaths at White House ceremony

business

Mamaleh’s uses new funding model, NuMarket, to help open second location in Brookline

Pegasystems added hundreds of jobs in Mass. last year, with more to come

Jeff Immelt is ready to help GE, but Larry Culp isn’t calling

lifestyle

He broke up with me by text and joined the Navy

TikTok users are posting videos promoting restaurants and stores during the pandemic. And it’s helping

Sycamore’s Lydia Reichert prepares to open Jinny’s Pizzeria, an homage to her vivacious grandmother

marijuana

New Jersey governor signs laws to set up marijuana market

Newton marijuana store seeks end to appointment-only rule, as nearby competition grows

Should psychedelic drugs be decriminalized in Mass.? Advocates see opening

opinion

Despite census delays, accuracy must be the top goal of redistricting

George Shultz — an environmentalist and technologist ahead of his time

As kids, they jammed in the basement — and he heard what would become the Chick Corea sound

food & dining

‘Eastern Standard will forever be the standard in our eyes’: Readers recall scenes from life moments, big and small

TikTok users are posting videos promoting restaurants and stores during the pandemic. And it’s helping

Sycamore’s Lydia Reichert prepares to open Jinny’s Pizzeria, an homage to her vivacious grandmother

travel

Ted Cruz: Poster child for bad travel decisions

Here’s why you should dust off those cross-country skis this winter

There is so much Black history in Providence, and still so much to learn

Books

Tatiana de Rosnay on ‘Sarah’s Key,’ Boston memories, and her scary new novel

Four Takes: On Hollywood

Small town, many stories in ‘American Delirium’

Movies

Netflix documentary to examine the man at the center of the college admissions scandal

Turning 40: 1981 at the movies

A justice speaks; justice is elusive; justice is sought

Television

If you enjoyed ‘Your Honor,’ who am I to judge?

This week’s TV: Take-it-or-leave-it binges, ‘Mr. Soul!,’ and a bicoastal Golden Globes

‘Last Week Tonight’: John Oliver takes a closer look at the deadly storm in Texas and castigates Cruz for his Cancún getaway

music

Boston Calling canceled again amid the coronavirus pandemic

BSO picks Gail Samuel, longtime LA Philharmonic executive, as its first woman president and CEO

At NEC, a concert to pay tribute to Coretta Scott King, and to many, many others

Theater/Dance

Stars to come out (remotely) for a new Boston clinic for homeless women

Amid the biotechs in Kendall Square, a place for dance

A Strindberg adaptation unfolds before an all-seeing camera in ‘Julia’

globe local

Colorado woman injured after crashing snowmobile into N.H. river

Coating of snow, rain coming to Mass. on Monday

Can this DPW yard help save the planet?

Obituaries

Irvienne Goldson, health care ‘spirit warrior’ for women of color, dies at 60

Milford Graves, singular drummer and polymath, dies at 79

Arturo Di Modica, sculptor of Wall Street bull, dies at 80