By Beth David, Editor
Massachusetts school districts are struggling with how to open schools this fall in a way that is safe for students and staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic (see page 12 for Fairhaven’s plan).
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said that communities with low numbers of new cases should open schools for in-person learning. Most communities, including Fairhaven, are opting for remote or a hybrid, remote/in-person alternating option.
Last week the state released a color coded map of all communities, making it easier for the public to see how their municipality is doing.
This week, the state released an interactive map, making it easier for people to find their communities with a search function and zoom function, available at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/community-level-covid-19-data-reporting
Based on the average daily cases per 100,000 residents, each city or town has been designated as a higher risk (red), moderate risk (yellow), or lower risk (green) community. Communities with fewer than 5 cases are not given a designation. Clicking on a community shows key COVID-19 statistics.
As of 8/12, Fairhaven, a green/lower risk community, shows 251 total cases, a two-week case count of five, average daily incidence rate (ADI) of 2.3, a relative change in case count rated “higher.” Total tests in Fairhaven were 4,390, with 442 of those in the last 14 days. Positive tests in the last five days were five (as of 8/12). The positivity rate was 1.13% with the change in positivity rated “higher.”
Acushnet is white on the map, with a total case count of 103, a two-week case count of less than five, and an ADI rate of less than 5 per 100,000. The relative change in case count was “lower” for Acushnet. Total tests were 1,858, with 242 in the last 14 days. Positive tests in the last 14 days was three. Acushnet’s positivity percentage was 1.24 with the change listed as “lower.”
New Bedford is listed as yellow, or moderate risk, on the map, with a total case count of 2,295, and 62 of those from the last two weeks (as of 8/12). The ADI rate was 4.45, with the change designated as “higher.” Total tests were 3,259, witih 76 positive tests in the two weeks prior, and a positivity rate of 2.33%, designated as higher.
Statewide, Massachusetts has 114,786 total confirmed cases, 175 on 8/18; 8.617 deaths, six of those on Tuesday, 8/18. To learn more visit https://www. mass.gov/
Nationwide, the USA has had 5,422,242 cases as of 8/18, with 40,117 new cases that day. Total deaths in the US is 169,870 as of 8/18 with 520 new deaths. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html for daily updates, interactive maps with state and county information, and other community infection information.
The state travel restrictions are still in place, exceptr for Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.
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