Local (and not-so-local) COVID-19 updates
Sep. 10th, 2021 07:50 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 (same as yesterday) for a total of 17,972 deaths, 1,726 newly reported confirmed cases (370 less than yesterday - down 17.7%) for a total of 725,359 cases, and 87,372 newly reported molecular tests (2,627 more than yesterday - up 3.1%).The seven day average positivity rate is 2.52%, compared to 2.48% yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 378 and 147 newly reported probable cases (164 less than yesterday - down 52.7%) for a total of 51,663. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 18 new deaths for a total of 18,350 and 1,873 new cases for a total of 777,022. There were 624 COVID-19 patients in hospital (2 more than yesterday - up 0.3%), 168 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (2 more than yesterday - up 1.2%) and 86 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (7 less than yesterday - down 7.5%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 1,130.0 (12 less than yesterday - down 1.1%), 1,665% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 82.0% below the highest observed value of 6,232.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.52% (0 more than yesterday - up 1.5%), 718% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 91% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 600.0 (4 more than yesterday - up 0.7%), 605% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 and 85% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 8.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 14.3%), 700% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/12/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 8,990 non-ICU beds, of which 7,788 (86.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 456 (5.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 746 (8.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,308 ICU beds, of which 872 (66.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 168 (12.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 268 (20.5%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,903 non-ICU beds, of which 7,644 (85.9%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 456 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 803 (9.0%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,313 ICU beds, of which 871 (66.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 166 (12.6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 276 (21.0%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,006.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 5.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 537.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.75%.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day cases dropped, but hospitalizations rose and deaths held steady. Similarly, the seven-day averages for cases dropped, but those for deaths, hospitalizations and percent-positive are all up compared to yesterday. Not great news overall, and the upcoming weekend means no more data until Monday.
I haven't seen the details of President Biden's newly announced "action plan" regarding COVID-19; presumably because the underlying federal rules are still being written. Some of the key points will probably include a requirement that large employers (over 100 employees) must either require vaccinations or weekly testing for all employees, along with a requirement that federal workers and contractors get vaccinated (without the weekly testing option). Local reaction is mostly positive:
From my perspective, it's about time. I don't see any way out of this pandemic that doesn't involve near-universal vaccinations, and clearly there are way too many unvaccinated people in this country. Presumably the number of folks who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons is a small enough pool that we can knock off COVID with them still vulnerable; however, that does mean the "don't-wannas" are going to have to suck it up. I'm guessing (and hoping) that the feds requiring vaccination for a big chunk of the population will convince most of those "don't-wannas" to get their shots.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 26 active and 1,087 cumulative cases as of September 9. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 11:45AM on May 28, 2021 reported 978 cumulative cases with 3 individuals in isolation, 943 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 1,130.0 (12 less than yesterday - down 1.1%), 1,665% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 82.0% below the highest observed value of 6,232.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.52% (0 more than yesterday - up 1.5%), 718% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 91% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 600.0 (4 more than yesterday - up 0.7%), 605% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 and 85% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 8.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 14.3%), 700% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/12/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 8,990 non-ICU beds, of which 7,788 (86.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 456 (5.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 746 (8.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,308 ICU beds, of which 872 (66.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 168 (12.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 268 (20.5%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,903 non-ICU beds, of which 7,644 (85.9%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 456 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 803 (9.0%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,313 ICU beds, of which 871 (66.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 166 (12.6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 276 (21.0%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,006.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 5.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 537.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.75%.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day cases dropped, but hospitalizations rose and deaths held steady. Similarly, the seven-day averages for cases dropped, but those for deaths, hospitalizations and percent-positive are all up compared to yesterday. Not great news overall, and the upcoming weekend means no more data until Monday.
I haven't seen the details of President Biden's newly announced "action plan" regarding COVID-19; presumably because the underlying federal rules are still being written. Some of the key points will probably include a requirement that large employers (over 100 employees) must either require vaccinations or weekly testing for all employees, along with a requirement that federal workers and contractors get vaccinated (without the weekly testing option). Local reaction is mostly positive:
The private sector typically shudders at more government regulation. But not when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Some local companies Friday welcomed President Biden's new mandate that many private employers must ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly, a move expected to affect about 80 million Americans, or about two-thirds of the country's working adults.
"It's a positive," said Michael Sleeper, chief executive of Imperial Distributors in Worcester, which thus far has encouraged but not required its employees to be vaccinated. "It does take away the ambiguity. It's easier for us to support something that has become a federal law and coming right from the president."
Many questions remain over the implementation of the mandate, such as when it would go into effect and how it would be enforced. Employers are waiting for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to formally issue a rule.
[ ... ]
The rule will likely have few detractors in Boston, where this week a Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll found 72 percent of likely voters believed employers should require workers to be vaccinated. However a Gallup poll conducted in mid-August found that across America, support for vaccine requirements in offices and workplaces was 56 percent.
[ ... ]
OSHA will issue a rule known as an "emergency temporary standard" that will take effect immediately Companies that don't comply could face fines of up to $14,000 per violation. The rule will include a provision that gives workers paid time off to get vaccinated or recover if they experience symptoms post-vaccination.
[ ... ]
Many companies may choose a more direct route, predicted workplace culture and inclusion strategist Christie Lindor, and simply mandate vaccinations and drop the weekly testing option altogether because it would be too difficult to administer.
Enforcing a vaccine mandate will be a thorny process for many companies, she added, and managers will need to be trained on verifying vaccinations and preventing bias against the unvaccinated.
From my perspective, it's about time. I don't see any way out of this pandemic that doesn't involve near-universal vaccinations, and clearly there are way too many unvaccinated people in this country. Presumably the number of folks who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons is a small enough pool that we can knock off COVID with them still vulnerable; however, that does mean the "don't-wannas" are going to have to suck it up. I'm guessing (and hoping) that the feds requiring vaccination for a big chunk of the population will convince most of those "don't-wannas" to get their shots.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 26 active and 1,087 cumulative cases as of September 9. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 11:45AM on May 28, 2021 reported 978 cumulative cases with 3 individuals in isolation, 943 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.