Local (and not-so-local) COVID-19 updates
Oct. 14th, 2021 06:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 14 newly reported confirmed deaths (5 less than yesterday - down 26.3%) for a total of 18,427 deaths, 1,560 newly reported confirmed cases (89 more than yesterday - up 6.1%) for a total of 775,963 cases, and 107,844 newly reported molecular tests (29,995 more than yesterday - up 38.5%).The seven day average positivity rate is 2.03%, compared to 2.01% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 3.40%; that rate was not reported yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 389 and 229 newly reported probable cases (63 less than yesterday - down 21.6%) for a total of 55,699. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 14 new deaths for a total of 18,816 and 1,789 new cases for a total of 831,662. There were 567 COVID-19 patients in hospital (11 more than yesterday - up 2.0%), 142 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (9 less than yesterday - down 6.0%) and 83 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (8 less than yesterday - down 8.8%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 968.0 (11 more than yesterday - up 1.1%), 1,412% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 85.0% below the highest observed value of 6,230.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.03% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.9%), 558% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 93% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 552.0 (3 less than yesterday - down 0.5%), 549% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 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 12.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 9.1%), 1,100% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/11/2021 and 94% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 8,956 non-ICU beds, of which 7,740 (86.4%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 425 (4.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 791 (8.8%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,280 ICU beds, of which 881 (68.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 142 (11.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 257 (20.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,908 non-ICU beds, of which 7,466 (83.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 405 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,037 (11.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,251 ICU beds, of which 844 (67.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 151 (12.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 256 (20.5%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,080.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 12.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 615.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.94% (or 3.39% excluding higher education).
Today being Thursday, the state also included city/town specific information in the daily download. My town of Acton is listed as having 1,128 total cases, with a two-week case count of 37 cases, a daily incidence rate of 11.1 which is lower than last week, with a corresponding risk color code of yellow (if the state was still reporting color codes). Acton is also listed as having 64,700 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,614 and a two-week positive test count of 41, for a percent-positive rate of 1.57 which is lower than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 774,403 total cases, with a two-week case count of 18,528 cases, a daily incidence rate of 19.0 which is lower than last week. Massachusetts is also listed as having 29,672,150 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,161,429 and a two-week positive test count of 21,192, for a percent-positive rate of 1.82 which is lower than last week.
As of July 1, 2021, the state is no longer reporting risk color codes. However, if it was, of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 104 would be coded gray (compared to 110 last week), 47 would be coded green (compared to 33 last week), and 162 would be coded yellow (compared to 160 last week).The remaining 38 towns would be coded red (compared to 48 last week): Acushnet, Ashburnham, Athol, Ayer, Barre, Berkley, Blackstone, Carver, Clinton, Fall River, Freetown, Gardner, Hampden, Hubbardston, Hull, Littleton, Lunenburg, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Monson, New Bedford, Orange, Paxton, Rehoboth, Rochester, Seekonk, Southbridge, Southwick, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Townsend, Wareham, West Bridgewater, Westminster, Westport, and Winchendon.
8 cities/towns would be newly coded red this week (Clinton, Hampden, Hubbardston, Paxton, Rehoboth, Rochester, Seekonk, and Southwick) and 18 cities/towns would no longer be coded red this week (Chicopee, Dalton, Dighton, East Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Ludlow, Methuen, Middleton, North Brookfield, Raynham, Rutland, Springfield, Sterling, Tyngsborough, and West Boylston).
Of the 10 towns nearby (including my own town), 3 are coded gray (Boxborough, Carlisle, and Stow), 3 are coded green (Concord, Maynard, and Sudbury), 3 are coded yellow (Acton, Chelmsford, and Westford), and one is coded red (Littleton).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 4 are coded gray (Bolton, Boxborough, Harvard, and Stow), 3 are coded green (Berlin, Maynard, and Sudbury), 3 are coded yellow (Acton, Hudson, and Marlborough), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day news is mixed; deaths are down (yay!) but cases are up (oh-oh) as are hospitalizations and three of the four seven-day averages (cases, deaths and percent-positive; only the hospitalizations average dropped). The weekly city/town numbers are a bit more encouraging, as ten fewer communities would be in the highest-risk "red" category if the state was still publishing those ratings. My own town of Acton is still firmly in the yellow zone, but is getting somewhat better.
In vaccination news, those of us with the Moderna vaccine in our arms are one step closer to approved booster shots:
I'm in House Moderna, also known as the Dolly Parton Special; if/when I'm eligible for a booster, I'll likely get it.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 11 active and 1,166 cumulative cases as of October 13. 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 968.0 (11 more than yesterday - up 1.1%), 1,412% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 85.0% below the highest observed value of 6,230.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.03% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.9%), 558% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 93% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 552.0 (3 less than yesterday - down 0.5%), 549% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 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 12.0 (1 more than yesterday - up 9.1%), 1,100% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/11/2021 and 94% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 8,956 non-ICU beds, of which 7,740 (86.4%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 425 (4.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 791 (8.8%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,280 ICU beds, of which 881 (68.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 142 (11.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 257 (20.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,908 non-ICU beds, of which 7,466 (83.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 405 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,037 (11.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,251 ICU beds, of which 844 (67.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 151 (12.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 256 (20.5%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,080.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 12.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 615.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.94% (or 3.39% excluding higher education).
Today being Thursday, the state also included city/town specific information in the daily download. My town of Acton is listed as having 1,128 total cases, with a two-week case count of 37 cases, a daily incidence rate of 11.1 which is lower than last week, with a corresponding risk color code of yellow (if the state was still reporting color codes). Acton is also listed as having 64,700 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,614 and a two-week positive test count of 41, for a percent-positive rate of 1.57 which is lower than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 774,403 total cases, with a two-week case count of 18,528 cases, a daily incidence rate of 19.0 which is lower than last week. Massachusetts is also listed as having 29,672,150 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,161,429 and a two-week positive test count of 21,192, for a percent-positive rate of 1.82 which is lower than last week.
As of July 1, 2021, the state is no longer reporting risk color codes. However, if it was, of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 104 would be coded gray (compared to 110 last week), 47 would be coded green (compared to 33 last week), and 162 would be coded yellow (compared to 160 last week).The remaining 38 towns would be coded red (compared to 48 last week): Acushnet, Ashburnham, Athol, Ayer, Barre, Berkley, Blackstone, Carver, Clinton, Fall River, Freetown, Gardner, Hampden, Hubbardston, Hull, Littleton, Lunenburg, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Monson, New Bedford, Orange, Paxton, Rehoboth, Rochester, Seekonk, Southbridge, Southwick, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Townsend, Wareham, West Bridgewater, Westminster, Westport, and Winchendon.
8 cities/towns would be newly coded red this week (Clinton, Hampden, Hubbardston, Paxton, Rehoboth, Rochester, Seekonk, and Southwick) and 18 cities/towns would no longer be coded red this week (Chicopee, Dalton, Dighton, East Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Ludlow, Methuen, Middleton, North Brookfield, Raynham, Rutland, Springfield, Sterling, Tyngsborough, and West Boylston).
Of the 10 towns nearby (including my own town), 3 are coded gray (Boxborough, Carlisle, and Stow), 3 are coded green (Concord, Maynard, and Sudbury), 3 are coded yellow (Acton, Chelmsford, and Westford), and one is coded red (Littleton).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 4 are coded gray (Bolton, Boxborough, Harvard, and Stow), 3 are coded green (Berlin, Maynard, and Sudbury), 3 are coded yellow (Acton, Hudson, and Marlborough), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day news is mixed; deaths are down (yay!) but cases are up (oh-oh) as are hospitalizations and three of the four seven-day averages (cases, deaths and percent-positive; only the hospitalizations average dropped). The weekly city/town numbers are a bit more encouraging, as ten fewer communities would be in the highest-risk "red" category if the state was still publishing those ratings. My own town of Acton is still firmly in the yellow zone, but is getting somewhat better.
In vaccination news, those of us with the Moderna vaccine in our arms are one step closer to approved booster shots:
U.S. health advisers said Thursday that some Americans who received Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine at least six months ago should get a half-dose booster to rev up protection against the coronavirus.
The panel of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend a booster shot for seniors, as well as younger adults with other health problems, jobs or living situations that put them at increased risk from COVID-19.
The recommendation is non-binding but it's a key step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign to millions more Americans. Many people who got their initial Pfizer shots at least six months ago are already getting a booster after the FDA authorized their use last month — and those are the same high-risk groups that FDA's advisers said should get a Moderna booster.
But there's no evidence that it's time to open booster doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine to everybody, the panel stressed — despite initial Biden administration plans to eventually do that.
The coronavirus still is mostly a threat to unvaccinated people — while the vaccinated have strong protection against severe illness or death from COVID-19.
"I don't really see a need for a 'let it rip' campaign for everyone," said Dr. Michael Kurilla of the National Institutes of Health.
As for the dose, initial Moderna vaccination consists of two 100-microgram shots. But Moderna says a single 50-microgram shot should be enough for a booster.
The agency convened its experts to weigh in on who should get boosters and when for those who received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots earlier this year. The panel will discuss J&J on Friday.
The FDA will use its advisers' recommendations in making final decisions for boosters from both companies. Assuming a positive decision, there's still another hurdle: Next week, a panel convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will offer more specifics on who should get one.
[ ... ]
As the delta variant surged in July and August, a Moderna study found people who were more recently vaccinated had a 36% lower rate of "breakthrough" infections compared with those vaccinated longer ago.
Another study of 344 people found a six-month booster shot restored virus-fighting antibodies to levels thought to be protective — and that included large jumps in antibodies able to target the delta variant. But that was a small study, and only about half of those people got the exact series of doses that would be offered under a Moderna booster campaign.
"The data itself is not strong but it is certainly going in the direction that is supportive of this vote," said Dr. Patrick Moore of the University of Pittsburgh.
I'm in House Moderna, also known as the Dolly Parton Special; if/when I'm eligible for a booster, I'll likely get it.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 11 active and 1,166 cumulative cases as of October 13. 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.