Local COVID-19 updates
May. 24th, 2021 05:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 2 newly reported confirmed deaths (3 less than yesterday - down 60.0%) for a total of 17,465 deaths, 188 newly reported confirmed cases (99 less than yesterday - down 34.5%) for a total of 659,721 cases, and 17,102 newly reported molecular tests (24,682 less than yesterday - down 59.1%). The seven day average positivity rate is 0.92%, compared to 0.93% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 1.42%, compared to 1.45% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 9,804 (258 less than yesterday - down 2.6%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 360 and 40 newly reported probable cases (19 less than yesterday - down 32.2%) for a total of 45,649. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 2 new deaths for a total of 17,825 and 228 new cases for a total of 705,370. There were 258 COVID-19 patients in hospital (1 more than yesterday - up 0.4%), 71 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (4 less than yesterday - down 5.3%) and 40 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (5 less than yesterday - down 11.1%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 304.0 (5 less than yesterday - down 1.6%), 93% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 96.0% below the highest observed value of 6,238.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 0.92% (0 less than yesterday - down 0.9%), 20% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 97% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 302.0 (10 less than yesterday - down 3.2%), 94% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 93% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 0.0 (8 less than yesterday), -100% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 5/21/2021 and 100% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,024 non-ICU beds, of which 7,082 (78.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 187 (2.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,755 (19.4%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,351 ICU beds, of which 864 (64.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 71 (5.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 416 (30.8%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,150 non-ICU beds, of which 7,432 (81.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 182 (2%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,536 (16.8%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,366 ICU beds, of which 906 (66.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 75 (5.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 385 (28.2%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 625.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 7.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 470.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.26% (or 2.11% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
The day-to-day changes are mixed. Deaths are down, and that's definitely good. Cases are down, but tests are proportionately even more down, so the cases drop may well be due to weekend reporting lags. The hospitalization count is up slightly, which isn't good. Three of the seven-day averages are down, which is definitely good; the seven-day deaths average, oddly, hasn't been updated in the raw data file since the May 21 value of 7.86, so I don't know what's going on there.
But there's one particuarly good milestone that the state reached today: the estimated active case count of 9,804 is below ten thousand cases for the first time since they started reporting the figure. That's progress.
Massachusetts is expanding its homebound resident vaccination drive to cover everyone confined at home, effective today:
About damn time, in my not particularly humble opinion. Yes, the big mass vaccination sites got lots of shots in lots of arms (mine included). But a no-questions-asked program reaching out to folks who, for whatever reason, couldn't navigate the clusterfuck of the state's "system" should have been part of the plan from day one.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 2 active and 977 cumulative cases as of May 23. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 12PM on May 17, 2021 reported 975 cumulative cases with 6 individuals in isolation, 937 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 304.0 (5 less than yesterday - down 1.6%), 93% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 96.0% below the highest observed value of 6,238.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 0.92% (0 less than yesterday - down 0.9%), 20% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 97% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 302.0 (10 less than yesterday - down 3.2%), 94% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 93% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 0.0 (8 less than yesterday), -100% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 5/21/2021 and 100% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,024 non-ICU beds, of which 7,082 (78.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 187 (2.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,755 (19.4%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,351 ICU beds, of which 864 (64.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 71 (5.3%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 416 (30.8%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,150 non-ICU beds, of which 7,432 (81.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 182 (2%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,536 (16.8%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,366 ICU beds, of which 906 (66.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 75 (5.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 385 (28.2%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 625.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 7.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 470.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.26% (or 2.11% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
The day-to-day changes are mixed. Deaths are down, and that's definitely good. Cases are down, but tests are proportionately even more down, so the cases drop may well be due to weekend reporting lags. The hospitalization count is up slightly, which isn't good. Three of the seven-day averages are down, which is definitely good; the seven-day deaths average, oddly, hasn't been updated in the raw data file since the May 21 value of 7.86, so I don't know what's going on there.
But there's one particuarly good milestone that the state reached today: the estimated active case count of 9,804 is below ten thousand cases for the first time since they started reporting the figure. That's progress.
Massachusetts is expanding its homebound resident vaccination drive to cover everyone confined at home, effective today:
Massachusetts is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination program for residents confined to their homes on Monday.
Governor Charlie Baker's administration had announced the expansion of the homebound vaccination drive in a statement Friday.
"Beginning Monday, May 24, the Administration will expand the state's Homebound Vaccination Program to support in-home vaccinations for all eligible residents who are unable to get to a vaccine site," the statement said. "This expansion will support continued vaccination of hard-to-reach populations and supports the Administration's goal to make COVID-19 vaccines readily available."
The program, the statement said, was initially launched March 29 for people who met certain federal criteria, such as requiring "significant supports" to leave home for medical appointments.
But starting Monday, officials the said, the program's opening the floodgates, with "any individual who has trouble getting to a vaccine site" now "eligible for the homebound program."
Here's what you do: call 833-983-0485 to register for an in-home vaccination. That line, officials said, is open weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm, with translation services available in over 100 languages.
"After registering, individuals will be called within five business days by the state's Homebound Vaccine Provider, Commonwealth Care Alliance, to schedule an appointment," the statement said. "It may take some time to get an appointment, and the quickest way to get vaccinated remains to schedule an appointment at a vaccination site by visiting VaxFinder.mass.gov."
About damn time, in my not particularly humble opinion. Yes, the big mass vaccination sites got lots of shots in lots of arms (mine included). But a no-questions-asked program reaching out to folks who, for whatever reason, couldn't navigate the clusterfuck of the state's "system" should have been part of the plan from day one.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 2 active and 977 cumulative cases as of May 23. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 12PM on May 17, 2021 reported 975 cumulative cases with 6 individuals in isolation, 937 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.