COVID cases are on the rise again in Boston. New data released Friday by the Boston Public Health Commission shows that cases are on the rise.
Over the past seven days, new COVID cases have increased by 38.9%. These new infections are increasing the city’s positivity rate, which stands at just over 10%. There have also been about 151 people in the hospital with COVID every day for the past seven days.
These numbers are causing Boston health officials to issue a new warning about COVID.
His message is one of caution. Again, they ask people to start wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces and tell people to gather outside and choose outdoor events if possible. An example of a crowded interior space is public transportation.
Subvariant BA.5 accounts for 60% of New England COVID-19 infections.
Right now, COVID’s positivity rate in Massachusetts is more than double the concern threshold – it’s 10.3%.
The threshold for when people should take precautions is 5% and the target is 4% or less.
Daily hospitalizations and the amount of coronavirus in local wastewater have also skyrocketed. The reason, experts believe, is due to the highly contagious and now dominant BA.5 omicron subvariant, as well as the people who gather and travel during the weekend of July 4th.
Despite the health leaders ’recommendation to wear masks indoors, many Boston residents and visitors opt for the use of masks. And there’s not just one reason.
“Cases are increasing, as are hospitalizations. We are closely following trends across the city and suggest that everyone follow the recommended precautions to reduce risk, “said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, in a statement posted on the website. based on current trends, it is essential that people protect themselves and others by wearing masks in crowded indoor environments, testing, isolating themselves if they are sick, and keeping up with their vaccines, which will reduce the risk of serious COVID-19 diseases[FEMININE”[FEMININE”
Even with all this, health experts say there is good news here: there have still been very few cases of serious illness.
The Boston Public Health Commission recommends the following strategies to prevent the transmission of COVID:
- Take the COVID test before and after attending large meetings, especially if you know you’ll be around high-risk people, such as the elderly, immunocompromised people, and people who aren’t vaccinated.
- Wear masks indoors, especially in crowded indoor environments such as public transportation.
- Stay home and isolate yourself if you are sick or positive for COVID. If the test is positive, be sure to contact a healthcare provider about oral antivirals or monoclonal antibody therapy.
- The Massachusetts Department of Public Health offers free telehealth services for Paxlovid and an oral antiviral that has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID.
- Keep up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, which are now recommended for everyone from 6 months.
- Meet outside and choose outdoor activities as often as possible.