By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent
Massacusetts Governor Charlie Baker warned residents on January 5 that the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant is likely already in the state and residents should remain vigilant in exercising precautions to mitigate exposure.
“I think most of us are working on the assumption that it’s here,” Gov. Baker said during a press conference on Tuesday. “There would be no reason not to.”
The new virus has already been confirmed in New York, Colorado, Florida, and California.
The Baker-Polito Administration announced on January 4 that the state’s first responders, the next eligible priority group in Phase 1 of the Vaccine Distribution timeline, will be eligible for vaccinations starting on January 11.
During Phase 1, expected to last from now through February, the vaccine will be offered to the remaining priority groups such as residents and workers in congregate care centers (including correctional facilities and shelters), and home-based health care workers.
The state adjusted its Phase 2 priority group on January 4 to include citizens age 75+ and individuals with two or more comorbidities, both deemed high-risk for severe complications of COVID-19. From February until April, pre-k and k-12 education employees will receive the vaccine, plus workers in transit, grocery utility, public works, sanitation, and public health workers. Phase 2 also includes individuals age 65+ and those with one comorbidity.
Phase 3 should begin in April when the vaccine will be available to the general public.
The interactive COVID-19 Dashboard is receiving some upgrades to allow users to more easily select specific timeframes, among other features to enhance user-friendliness. The state is continuing to add further enhancements to the Dashboard.
On January 1, Governor Baker signed legislation expanding access to quality healthcare, affordable care, promoting Telehealth access, and protecting access to COVID-19 testing and treatment. It also expands the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and other specialized nurses to prevent consumers from receiving unexpected medical bills.
“Massachusetts has long been a leader in ensuring health care quality and access, and with this new law, we are making further progress in building a strong, accessible, and affordable health care system, a goal that is more important now than ever,” said Gov. Baker on Monday.
There were 4,358 new cases confirmed on January 4 for a total of 375,455 since the start of the pandemic. There were 81,449 estimated active cases as of press time; 2,339 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, with 423 in Intensive Care and 258 intubated.
Sixty new deaths were reported on January 4 for a total of 12,401 since the pandemic began.
Fairhaven had a two-week total of 179 new active cases as of Thursday, December 31, for a total of 931 cases.
In Acushnet, there were 93 new cases in two weeks for a total of 574.
Both towns remain in the red on the state’s color-coded map.
Over the last two weeks, the age group with the highest rate of infection in Massachusetts was age 20-29 with 9,907 cases. Age 0-19 had 9,814 cases; age 30-39 had 8,822; 40-49 had 7,895; 50-59 had 8,695; 60-69 had 6,156; 70-79 had 3,121; and 80+ had 2,441 cases.
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