NEWS

Worcester urges indoor mask wearing as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Marco Cartolano
Telegram & Gazette
UMass Memorial vaccinators Kassandra Follwell, left, and Stacy Hampson ask passersby on Main South if they would like a COVID-19 booster shot.

WORCESTER — As average COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the city issued an advisory Friday strongly encouraging indoor mask wearing. 

COVID cases in Worcester are at their highest point since February, and levels of the coronavirus in regional wastewater are also rising. 

In addition to wearing masks indoors and when around others, the city recommends all eligible residents be up to date with their vaccinations and boosters, avoid crowded spaces when possible and get tested for COVID-19 when symptomatic, according to a Friday release from the city. 

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated Worcester County's community level of spread to high based on their new categorization metrics.  

Following a record-breaking rise in cases during the surge of the omicron variant, cases hit a low March 12. The city's seven-day average has risen steadily over the past eight weeks to 128.9 cases. 

Hopeful for quick turnaround

While there is an upward trend in cases in Worcester, health officials said they are optimistic that the rise in cases of a current omicron subvariant could mirror the trajectory of the spread in the United Kingdom, where cases dropped heavily after a later March and early April peak. 

Public health figures, including city Medical Director Dr. Michael Hirsh, UMass Memorial Health President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson, and St. Vincent Hospital CEO Carolyn Jackson, issued a joint statement making various recommendations. 

"While the days of mask mandates are hopefully behind us, we should make a risk assessment for ourselves to determine whether masks are appropriate," the statement read.

Along with advising indoor masking, testing, vaccination and avoiding crowds as much as possible, the officials recommended that residents wear a well-fitted mask indoors especially for at-risk residents or those who live with at-risk residents.  

The officials also said that deaths and hospitalization have only risen slightly compared to the rise in cases.  

Daily cases increasing

On Friday, the Worcester Department of Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard was updated to report that the city's seven-day average for new coronavirus cases stands at 128.9, up from 85 cases a day from the week before. 

Over the past seven days, 902 new cases were reported in Worcester for a total of 56,854 since the start of the pandemic.

Four additional deaths from COVID were reported this week, leaving the total number at 534. The positivity rate for the past two weeks was recorded at 3.62% Friday.  

Inpatient numbers increased over May 6, with 72 people hospitalized in Worcester's health care systems, up 16 from the previous week.

In addition, 11 are in intensive care unit beds, a increase of three patients. 

Vaccination percentages remain unchanged for Worcester. The city reports 63% of residents are fully vaccinated and 74% have received at least one shot.

Of the fully vaccinated population, 49% have received at least one booster shot.

For first doses, 208 were administered in the past week. In addition, 186 residents became fully vaccinated and 327 received boosters this past week.   

In Shrewsbury and Grafton, who are overseen by the city DPH, the seven-day averages have rise to 26.8 and 11.7 cases, respectively.