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State makes it official: Boston has a high rate of coronavirus infection
By adamg on Wed, 09/30/2020 - 9:31pm
DPH map of rate of Covid-19 infection in Massachusetts.
State Covid-19 statistics released today show Boston is now seeing an average of 8.5 new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents, enough to put it in the state's "red" zone.
The number is up from 7.9 a week ago. And while it is still lower than some Massachusetts communities - Chelsea is at 18.8, Everett at 13.2 and Framingham at 11.1 - the continued increase signals Boston is now at high risk from the virus. The statewide number is 5.7 new cases per 100,000 residents. The state says Boston's numbers for the two weeks ending today are higher than for the two weeks prior.
Earlier today, Mayor Walsh said that East Boston and the 02125 and 02121 Zip codes were showing numbers above the citywide average - and that the increase is why he is keeping Boston from joining other parts of the state in relaxing Covid-19 restrictions on performance and indoor-entertainment venues. He said that the latest numbers are still far lower than at what might have been the first wave of the pandemic in May and June.
If Boston remains in the red, it could also jeopardize plans to begin returning Boston students to local public schools for at least part of their school weeks, although Walsh said he will not consider that until the citywide rate of positive Covid-19 tests reaches 4% - a number exceeded in East Boston, parts of Dorchester and Roxbury, Roslindale, Mattapan, Allston/Brighton and South Boston.
In the meantime, Walsh urged residents to keep wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding large crowds and parties, in particular indoors.
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Comments
Now comes the hard part
Irrespective of what the regulations say, the Boston area is mostly back. Traffic is close to what it once was in the morning. People are getting together again.
As the weather cools and people become growingly tied of social distancing and masks, these sorts of gatherings will only increase along with the cases.
If the death rate doesn't pick up quickly, people will start to assume the virus isn't really that bad, at least in comparison to the actions one must do to avoid it.
I don't know how this all ends but it's not going to be good. America had so many opportunities to get ahead of this thing and the Federal government (Trump) wasted everything. A lot more people will die and even more people will go broke as a result.
I teach in a Yellow town
I teach in a yellow town surrounded by red towns. We were green until this week. It's been exactly two weeks since students returned to the buildings. So far I only have one student quarantining due to exposure. No cases actually in the school but this map looks like a ticking clock.
PSA: Take the DPH Covid 19 Community Impact Survey
The MA Department of Public Health is doing a survey of commonwealth residents on their experience of the COVID 19 pandemic.
They want as many responses as possible to help with planning for the coming months and with knowing where to deploy specific resources for community health.
Please take a moment to complete the survey at https://www.mass.gov/COVIDsurvey
Feel free to share the link with others - DPH wants as many responses as possible to get a good data set to work from, particularly in rural areas and marginalized communities.
(Adam, feel free to tweet/UHub this, too. More information about the survey here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-community-impact-survey)