Local COVID-19 updates
May. 3rd, 2021 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 18 newly reported confirmed deaths (14 more than yesterday - up 350.0%) for a total of 17,288 deaths, 481 newly reported confirmed cases (305 less than yesterday - down 38.8%) for a total of 648,249 cases, and 25,827 newly reported molecular tests (35,653 less than yesterday - down 58.0%). The seven day average positivity rate is 1.49%, compared to 1.49% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 2.58%, compared to 2.57% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 23,676 (428 less than yesterday - down 1.8%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 351 and 82 newly reported probable cases (25 less than yesterday - down 23.4%) for a total of 43,486. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 18 new deaths for a total of 17,639 and 563 new cases for a total of 691,735. There were 522 COVID-19 patients in hospital (3 less than yesterday - down 0.6%), 133 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (10 less than yesterday - down 7.0%) and 82 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (1 more than yesterday - up 1.2%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 847.0 (22 less than yesterday - down 2.5%), 439% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 87.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.49% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.1%), 94% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 95% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 573.0 (15 less than yesterday - down 2.6%), 269% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 86% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 10.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 11.1%), 11% above the lowest observed value of 9.0 on 4/17/2021 and 95% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,067 non-ICU beds, of which 7,093 (78.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 389 (4.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,585 (17.5%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,392 ICU beds, of which 880 (63.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 133 (9.6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 379 (27.2%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,186 non-ICU beds, of which 7,305 (79.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 382 (4%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,499 (16.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,393 ICU beds, of which 907 (65.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 143 (10.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 343 (24.6%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,358.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 8.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 704.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.04% (or 3.49% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-to-day deaths are way up, which is very much not good. Cases and tests are both down, which suggests that the case drop is due to lack of reporting over the weekend, which is at best neutral. Estimated active cases and hospitalizations are down, which is good. The seven-day averages for cases and hospitalizations are down, but those for percent-positive and deaths are up. All in all, very much a mixed bag of data.
In local vaccination news, Governor Charlie Baker announced today that the state will close four of the mass-vaccination sites in the next couple of months, shifting emphasis to more localized providers:
I got my shots at the Gillette Stadium site, which (once I was able to get an appointment at all) was very quick and easy; on the other hand, I don't need to rely on mass transit to get places (and Gillette is very transit-unfriendly). I do think the state should have put its emphasis on local providers much sooner in the process (basically, once they'd gotten hospital workers and congregate-living residents), but better late than never.
And one can't really argue with results, given that Massachusetts is currently number two in the nation in terms of the percentage of the population having gotten at least one COVID-19 shot, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 12 active and 961 cumulative cases as of May 2. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on April 27, 2021 reported 951 cumulative cases with 13 individuals in isolation, 906 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 847.0 (22 less than yesterday - down 2.5%), 439% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 87.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.49% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.1%), 94% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 95% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 573.0 (15 less than yesterday - down 2.6%), 269% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 86% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 10.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 11.1%), 11% above the lowest observed value of 9.0 on 4/17/2021 and 95% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,067 non-ICU beds, of which 7,093 (78.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 389 (4.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,585 (17.5%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,392 ICU beds, of which 880 (63.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 133 (9.6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 379 (27.2%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,186 non-ICU beds, of which 7,305 (79.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 382 (4%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,499 (16.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,393 ICU beds, of which 907 (65.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 143 (10.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 343 (24.6%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,358.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 8.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 704.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.04% (or 3.49% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-to-day deaths are way up, which is very much not good. Cases and tests are both down, which suggests that the case drop is due to lack of reporting over the weekend, which is at best neutral. Estimated active cases and hospitalizations are down, which is good. The seven-day averages for cases and hospitalizations are down, but those for percent-positive and deaths are up. All in all, very much a mixed bag of data.
In local vaccination news, Governor Charlie Baker announced today that the state will close four of the mass-vaccination sites in the next couple of months, shifting emphasis to more localized providers:
Governor Charlie Baker said Monday that Massachusetts plans to close four of the seven mass vaccination sites by the end of June, as the state's currently outperforming the rest of the country on COVID-19 shots by "leaps and bounds" with nearly 4 million residents either fully or partially inoculated against the virus.
"Now that we believe we are going to hit the 4.1 million goal we started with in the next few weeks, it's time to adapt our vaccination effort to make sure we get to some of the harder to reach populations," Baker said during a State House briefing.
To that end, Baker said, the state will "begin this shift in part by providing 22 regional collaboratives with more doses to run their programs, doubling the vaccine allocation for" 20 of the hardest-hit communities and "expanding our mobile vaccination clinics."
He added that over 21,000 doses have been administered through mobile vaccination efforts in several municipalities including Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Fall River, Springfield, and New Bedford.
[ ... ]
In addition, reporters heard from Dr. Paul Biddinger, medical director for emergency preparedness at Mass General Brigham and chair of the state's COVID-19 vaccine advisory group. He urged residents to get vaccinated if they haven't yet.
"Just in the past couple of weeks, we have seen data that have showed that people over the age of 65 are 94 percent less likely to be hospitalized" if they're vaccinated, Biddinger said. "And in all age groups, we see data that shows that fully vaccinated individuals have a decreased risk of dying, by more than 29 times what it would be if they were un-vaccinated."
State Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders briefed reporters as well, telling them officials are pleased with the current status of the vaccination effort.
"I think we feel good about where we are at this moment, given the fact that 70 percent of people over the age of 18 have gotten one dose," Sudders said. She added that strategies for reaching the rest of the population include "walk-ins, for example. Changing hours. Many more pop-ups — you know, the mobile clinics in places, expanding primary care sites. So, you know, you may not be comfortable going to a mass vaxx site, but if you got a call from your doctor, you might go get your shot."
That idea makes a lot of sense, according to the Massachusetts Medical Society.
"The Massachusetts Medical Society commends Gov. Baker, Sec. Sudders and the administration for recognizing the important role community-based primary care physicians will play in augmenting the Commonwealth's push to vaccinate residents as quickly and equitably as possible against COVID-19," the society said in a statement.
I got my shots at the Gillette Stadium site, which (once I was able to get an appointment at all) was very quick and easy; on the other hand, I don't need to rely on mass transit to get places (and Gillette is very transit-unfriendly). I do think the state should have put its emphasis on local providers much sooner in the process (basically, once they'd gotten hospital workers and congregate-living residents), but better late than never.
And one can't really argue with results, given that Massachusetts is currently number two in the nation in terms of the percentage of the population having gotten at least one COVID-19 shot, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
While concern is rising that fewer people may be stepping forward to get their coronavirus vaccinations, Massachusetts and other New England states lead the nation in the rate of people who have gotten at least their first shot of one of the vaccines.
New Hampshire led the states with 60.7 percent of residents having gotten at least a first dose or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New Hampshire was followed by Massachusetts (57.3 percent), Vermont (56.6), Connecticut (55.6), and Maine (55.2). Decidedly non-New England Hawaii (53.7) was next on the list, but Rhode Island (53.3) followed quickly behind.
[ ... ]
Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, in a series of tweets Monday morning, drew a connection between the high vaccination rates and recent declines in coronavirus cases in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Maine.
Noting the experience of Israel, he also suggested that getting 50 percent of the population vaccinated may be a "turning point" where cases begin to drop sharply.
"At what point should we see cases in US begin to drop sharply from vaccinations?" Jha wrote. He said it was "complicated but experience from Israel says 45-50% of population vaccinated."
While the "US is shy of that," he said, some states are past that threshold.
"So do we have evidence its working there? Why yes we do," he said, pointing to New England.
"I know, all New England states," he noted.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 12 active and 961 cumulative cases as of May 2. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on April 27, 2021 reported 951 cumulative cases with 13 individuals in isolation, 906 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.