Letter: February is American Heart Health Month

Letter to the Editor01:00PM / Tuesday, February 22, 2022Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

February is American Heart Month — a great time to quit vaping, smoking or other nicotine products. Smoking can lead to narrowing blood vessels and high blood pressure; it is a leading cause of heart disease. Less is known about vaping's effect on the heart so quitting any nicotine use is a wise choice for your heart.

When you're ready to take the first step, 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), the Massachusetts Quitline for tobacco/nicotine, is available for FREE support 24 hours each day, seven days a week to support you through quitting. No lectures. No judgments. Just support. You can connect with the Quitline online, too, at mass.gov/quitting.

1-800-QUIT-NOW offers you a FREE coach who is ready to support you. They'll help you develop a quit plan that works for you, identify triggers, plan out your day without nicotine and manage withdrawals. They'll offer email and text support to help you stay on track. In addition, 1-800-QUIT-NOW has a dedicated Spanish line (1-855-DEJELO-YA) and interpreter services available for 200 other languages so language doesn't need to be a barrier to getting support.

1-800-QUIT-NOW also offers FREE medicine to help you quit like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, and advises on the best way to use them.

So, for American Heart Month, make a resolution for a healthier life for you and your family. If you vape, smoke or use other nicotine products, quitting is an important step to take to protect your heart.

For more information, visit mass.gov/quitting or contact the Berkshire Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Program Manager Joyce Brewer at 413-842-5160 or jbrewer@berkshireahec.org. Take the first step of your journey to quit for good during American Heart Month.

Joyce Brewer
Brewer manages the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Program for the Berkshire Area Health Education Center.

Tags: smoking awareness,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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