For most of last year, Tom Mountain was skeptical of the threat posed by COVID-19 — that is, until he caught the disease and got very, very sick.
Mountain, vice chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, said he believes he got sick at a White House Hanukkah party where people wore masks to get through security but took them off to mingle. Mountain was hospitalized twice and was almost hooked up to a ventilator. Members of his family also tested positive.
Since then, Mountain said he's not only switched course on his beliefs about the virus, but he's also working to convince other skeptical conservatives in Massachusetts and beyond to get vaccinated.
"My goal was, and still is, to try and convince my Republican colleagues to get the vaccine and to get it soon," Mountain said. "And whatever way I can convince them objectively and honestly, I'll do it ... it's a public health crisis, and you should get a vaccine."
Then, we heard how the Brookline Senior Center Chess Club has moved its operations virtual during the pandemic. Alex Krieger, volunteer lead of the club, talked about how important it is to keep people connected in a isolated time.
Click on the audio player above to listen to the full episode.
Segments:
Tom Mountain - 2:16
Alex Krieger - 15:30
