Local COVID-19 updates

[edschweppe]

As of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 49 newly reported confirmed deaths (17 more than yesterday - up 53.1%) for a total of 15,257 deaths, 967 newly reported confirmed cases (513 less than yesterday - down 34.7%) for a total of 531,702 cases, and 46,488 newly reported molecular tests (16,364 less than yesterday - down 26.0%). The seven day average positivity rate is 2.22%, compared to 2.19% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 3.60%, compared to 3.52% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 42,395 (3,438 less than yesterday - down 7.5%). The state also reported 1 newly reported probable death (same as yesterday) for a total of 310 and 259 newly reported probable cases (166 more than yesterday - up 178.5%) for a total of 28,874. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 50 new deaths for a total of 15,567 and 1,226 new cases for a total of 560,576. There were 1,096 COVID-19 patients in hospital (11 less than yesterday - down 1.0%), 275 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (11 less than yesterday - down 3.8%) and 177 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (3 more than yesterday - up 1.7%).

Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 1,343.0 (236 less than yesterday - down 14.9%), 755% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 79.0% below the highest observed value of 6,241.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.22% (0 more than yesterday - up 1.3%), 189% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 92% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 1,222.0 (36 less than yesterday - down 2.9%), 688% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 69% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 45.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 2.3%), 309% above the lowest observed value of 11.0 on 9/9/2020 and 75% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.

Statewide, hospitals reported 9,116 non-ICU beds, of which 6,599 (72.4%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 821 (9.0%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,696 (18.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,433 ICU beds, of which 825 (57.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 275 (19.2%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 333 (23.2%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,064 non-ICU beds, of which 6,579 (72.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 821 (9%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,664 (18.4%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,441 ICU beds, of which 807 (56.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 286 (19.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 348 (24.1%) remained available.

Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 2,181.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 50.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 1,784.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 3.44% (or 5.22% excluding higher education).

The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.

Whoa. Today is the first day since November 3, 2020 that the number of newly reported confirmed cases has been under a thousand. (That day, the count was 923.) Regardless of anything else, that has to qualify as good news. I'm not as happy about the uptick in seven-day percent-positive, although it's unsurprising given that cases kept going up last week.

But still. Less than a thousand new cases reported today. First time that's happened since before the holiday surges.

Now, if only Governor Baker could get his head out of his fundamental orifice and get the state's vaccination program working. So far, he's managing to tick off just about everyone else in Massachusetts government:

The new speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives is "disappointed." Nearly the entire Congressional delegation has "serious concerns." And city leaders are sounding the alarm on a slow, unequal start to vaccine distribution.

Governor Charlie Baker, long one of the country's most popular executives, faces mounting criticism over what officials at every level of Massachusetts government call a flawed vaccine rollout. As national metrics have shown the Bay State lagging, the second-term Republican is working to reverse early disappointments and salvage his reputation as an expert manager.

The most notable censure to date came Friday from nearly the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation, whose members rarely rebuke the governor, but penned a letter urging him to revamp the state's vaccine appointment process. Leadership in both chambers of the state legislature, as well as in Boston and other cities, have also found fault with Baker's efforts.

A moderate known for working well across the aisle, Baker has seldom been the subject of such widespread criticism from his state's political leaders. But a sluggish start to the rollout, persistent disparities along racial lines, and a controversial new "companion" program have left Baker, the face of the state's COVID-19 response, fielding attacks and questions from many fronts.

[ ... ]

Still, some of Baker's fixes have only brought more criticism — and in one case, a healthy dose of online mockery.

Hoping to get more seniors vaccinated more quickly, Baker last week announced that anyone accompanying a person over the age of 75 to a vaccine appointment could get one, too. The program has the support of senior advocacy organizations, MacCormack said. But as an online market emerged for septuagenarian companions, state lawmakers and city leaders expressed alarm, and even Baker himself acknowledged "disturbing reports" of individuals trying to exploit the new policy.

The companion program may help the state scale up its total number of vaccinations, but it's not addressing racial disparities, said state Representative Nika Elugardo, a Democrat who represents parts of Boston and Brookline. Since the start of the pandemic, she said, Baker has failed to include local leaders who could have helped overcome vaccine hesitancy among the communities of color she represents and coordinate logistics for vaccine deployment.

[ ... ]

"[Baker] set these things up where you're not bringing the right people to the table," Elugardo said. "I've worked on communications and economic development issues. I've worked in rural India and seen things roll out better."

Members of Congress also took issue with the state's logistics and in their letter "implored" Baker to create a centralized pre-registration system so residents can receive a notification when a vaccine is available for them.

"Nearly two months after the arrival of the first Pfizer vaccine doses, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with its prestigious health care infrastructure and wealth of technological innovation, remains at the bottom of every states' national vaccine distribution ranking," 10 of 11 members of the state's all-Democratic delegation, led by Representative Katherine Clark, wrote in a Feb. 12 letter to Baker. Representative Richie Neal of Springfield was the only one to not sign onto the letter.

They joined a chorus of other state and local leaders who have called on the Baker administration to focus more on teachers, be more transparent about its allocations to different parts of the state, and grant a higher priority status to individuals with conditions like asthma.

[ ... ]

The pandemic has proved an unprecedented challenge for his leadership, threatening his reputation as an efficient executive and even the notion of Massachusetts exceptionalism.

"It's highly unusual for Charlie Baker to be getting this kind of criticism, and he really hasn't throughout any of his time as governor," said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic political consultant. "The difference is ... now Charlie Baker has his first real opponent, and it's COVID-19."

The flawed rollout has been surprising, she added, "because this is Massachusetts."

"We have the best brains and the best health care anywhere. We've got the best doctors, the best scientists, the best everything, and a governor whose background was as a health care executive," she said. "Yet we're still getting our rear ends kicked by West Virginia."

Massachusetts still doesn't have a single point of signup for vaccinations, and still hasn't opened things up to anyone younger than 75 except for health-care workers, first responders and congregate-living residents. I don't for a moment question the importance of getting those folks vaccinated, but why the hell is it taking so long to get to the next level, and why the hell can't Baker address the issue competently?

The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 26 active and 728 cumulative cases as of February 15. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 3PM on February 12, 2021 reported 717 cumulative cases with 25 individuals in isolation, 661 persons recovered and 31 fatalities.

Comments

[jhetley]

We also have had the lowest number of new cases since November. Seem to have escaped from the election and holiday spike.