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Mass. officials have a new World Cup concern: infectious diseases
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Boston's having a ball. Like a really big ball. The Mass. Port Authority is installing a 45-foot soccer ball at Piers Park in East Boston in June — an attempt to break a Guinness world record. It's meant to kick up excitement ahead of the World Cup. (The previous record is held by Qatar, which displayed a nearly 39-foot ball in 2013.)
Let's keep it rolling with some other World Cup news ...
¡Ole! ¡Achoo!: If traffic and ticket prices weren't already on your mind when it comes to the World Cup, may we add in the risk of infectious disease? Public health commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said during a virtual meeting of the state's Public Health Council that with millions of visitors expected in and around Boston for the matches at Gillette Stadium, the risk for transmission significantly increases. "We continue to urge residents to be up to date on all routine immunizations," he said. "Maintaining high community immunity through vaccines like MMR and the rotavirus series for infants is one of our primary tools for preventing outbreaks during these high-density periods." Other risks, WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey reports, include weather hazards, mass casualty events and foodborne illnesses (maybe give that clam chowder an extra sniff before digging in).
- We're less than a month out from World Cup matches kicking off at Gillette. But WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez reports the FIFA takeover begins today. The biggest thing fans will notice is the pro shop at the stadium will be all FIFA all the time.
- PSA: For those who got the golden tickets for one of the local matches, officials are reminding fans to leave the bags at home (unless it's clear plastic). And be prepared to show your ticket at least three times before entering the stadium.
'Tis the season: Summer's approaching — and so are the sharks. The first white shark was confirmed off the coast of Massachusetts, the New England Aquarium reports. On Sunday, a dead gray seal was found on Lucy Vincent Beach in Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard. (Click here for a gnarly pic of the six-foot seal with a big chomp taken out. If you ask me, this shark eats like a toddler.)
- John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist in the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, said sharks are like snowbirds, heading south for the winter, and returning to the area when the water warms. "These early sightings are really good for just starting to get people thinking," Chisholm told WBUR's Fausto Menard. "Put sharks in their mind so that they're prepared." He added sharks aren't just a Cape Cod thing; they can be anywhere throughout coastal New England.
- For context: The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts was in 2018, when 26-year-old Arthur Medici, of Revere, was attacked off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet.
- Shark smart: To avoid sharks, watch for their presence in shallow waters, avoid swimming in areas where seals or fish are present, and stay close to shore where first responders can reach you. The Sharktivity app also keeps track of the latest shark sightings. (You can save this Instagram reel to keep these reminders in mind all season long.)
Getting creative: A handful of venues across Davis Square are hosting experimental and independent comedy sketches, plays, musicals and more this week — some making their debut. The second annual Boston Fringe runs through Sunday. Festival co-founder Anton Monteleone told WBUR's Amy Sokolow it's a space for artists to showcase their works, even if they're not fully fleshed out yet. "We just wanted to offer a space for artists to put up a show," he said. "And then, hopefully, a goal is to take this platform and use that as a motivating force to create these larger, more fully produced shows." All proceeds from the shows, which cost $15 a ticket, go back to the artists.
- What's a "fringe"? The name originated in Edinburgh, Scotland, and dates back to 1947 when eight uninvited theatre groups performed on the "fringe" of the Edinburgh International Festival. Now, fringe festivals are celebrations of independent and experimental arts.
P.S. — Remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? (I loved them, though I always cheated and went back to the previous choice if I didn't like where I ended up.) Well, WBUR made a new climate fiction podcast for kids and families called "The Midnight Rebellion." Set in Boston's not-so-distant future, you'll help characters tackle humanity's great existential threat: climate change. Your choices change the story. Part II is out now. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
