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For second day in a row, Massachusetts sets new Covid-19 record
By adamg on Thu, 12/03/2020 - 6:41pm
Massachusetts today reported 5,797 more positive Covid-19 test results, up from yesterday's previous record of 4,613.
The state actually reported even higher numbers, but said they included 680 cases that should have been reported earlier but were not due to a software error at the lab that did the tests.
The statewide positivity rate - the percentage of people who take a test get a positive result - is now at 7.3% when tests at colleges and universities, many of which frequently test students and staffers, are excluded.
The state also reported 1,324 people are hospitalized with Covid-19, up from 1,259 people yesterday and 1,191 on Tuesday. Speaking at the state's re-readied field hospital in Worcester today, Gov. Baker announced plans to open a second field hospital in Lowell.
Unlike the total numbers, hospitalization numbers remain below those during the spring surge.
The state reported that the hospitalization numbers include 261 people in ICUs, which is down 3 from Wednesday, but up from 239 on Tuesday.
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Comments
Damn that’s crazy! That’s
Damn that’s crazy! That’s less than .090% of the population of Massachusetts . Nuts
Per day, my dude
If it stays at this rate per day we will double the total number of Massachusetts cases from January 1 - December 1 in 42 days. That’s January 14, or 6 days before Joe Biden is inaugurated.
Nuts, huh?
Good point. Point taken.
Good point. Point taken.
You'd rather more people get
You'd rather more people get it?
Magoo sez
Magoo is kinda ascared. Magoo.
reply to Magoo
Magoo is not alone. Not-Magoo.
https://youtu.be/0JPRvxTjfOk
https://youtu.be/0JPRvxTjfOk
Silver lining?
The hospitalization and death numbers seem to be steady or falling.
Is it making it's way through the population as expected and herd immunity kicking in? Hope so.
Herd immunity?
How does herd immunity lower death rates without lowering infection rates?
If you're postulating some kind of death-immunity that is distinct from infection-immunity, well, that would certainly change things. If that turns out to be the case, to hell with the Covid-19 vaccine; I want the vaccine that immunizes me against death.
Herd immunity is only
Herd immunity is only achieved by reaching a certain threshold. We are nowhere near that number.
Threshold
Isn't it hard to say if it's been reached or not unless every person in Massachusetts is tested?
New infections would not be
New infections would not be occurring at the current rate if we had reached herd immunity. And there wouldn't be a massive effort underway to bring a vaccine to everyone ASAP if we had tragically reached herd immunity by natural means.
No
The infection rate is being monitored by testing sewage levels of the virus. Maybe you've been avoiding those stories because ew.
Please do some research before using terms that you don't know
I know you think you know what it means, but you clearly do not understand the epidemiologic dynamics that define herd immunity.
Please - just stop.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/herd....
More likely
More likely some combination of:
Also
We already infected over 50% of the most vulnerable population (nursing home residents) in Mass. There are just fewer extremely high-risk folks left to kill.
Even most high risk people recover
COVID is dangerous and serious but facts are facts. Being elderly and in poor health increases someone's risk of death from COVID but it's not a death warrant. Most people recover. Just not all of them.
Reinfections are very rare.
One tiny thing
The hospitalization numbers are rising.
Mortality also isn't falling, but it's not rising like the other metrics are. 200% of the lowest recorded value, but much lower than the last peak. That probably has something to do with the medical profession figuring out how to treat it. No consolation to the 49 deaths reported yesterday.
Yet
Hospitalization rate take off lags infection rates.
Deaths lag hospitalization rates.
Infections are being identified earlier now, too - usually before hospitalization.
People dying today are people who became infected three weeks ago and went into the hospital one to two weeks ago.
If herd immunity is achieved
If herd immunity is achieved via a vaccine (i.e. without people actually contracting covid), then that is a success.
However, achieving herd immunity via people actually contracting covid would be the absolute worst case failure scenario. It means the maximum number of people would have gotten sick. I don't know why people keep throwing this version of herd immunity around like it would be a good thing.