COVID-19 December News Round-up
Published by
Provider Networks Team
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With COVID-19 infections reaching 58,000 statewide, here is a round-up of information you should know about recent developments, restrictions, and recommendations to keep yourself and your patients informed and safe.
State lays out vaccination priorities
Health workers and long-term care residents will be the first to receive the vaccine, State Officials announced Wednesday. This announcement was made as over 60,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were shipped to 21 hospitals in 8 counties in Massachusetts last week.
Massachusetts expects to receive about 300,000 vaccine doses in the first phase of the rollout, and more than 1.9 million in the second phase.
COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts jumped 57% last week as state reports 3,627 new cases, 40 deaths on Tuesday
Based on over 58,000 tests, MA has reached 58,601 active cases state official announced on 12/8/20. Over the course of this year, bringing the total COVID-19 infections to 253,649, with a total of 10,833 fatalities. The numbers reported show a marked increase following the recent holiday.
Read more on Masslive.com
State of MA COVID-19 Response Reporting
Governor Baker rolls back restrictions
During Tuesday’s press conference, Governor Charlie Baker announced that he will be reinstating Phase 3 Step 1 restrictions effective Sunday, 12/13. This announcement comes amid rising infection numbers statewide.
These restrictions will include closure of designated Step 2 businesses, including indoor entertainment venues and certain high-contact indoor recreational businesses. Additionally, capacity limits for most industries statewide will be reduced to 40%, outdoor gatherings will be limited to 50 people (down from 100), and additional safety measures will be required for restaurant dining.
Read more on Mass.gov
Updates to Massachusetts COVID-19 quarantine recommendations
Effective 12/7/20, Massachusetts has updated its COVID-19 quarantine recommendations to align the new guidelines published by the CDC. These new guidelines specify that after a 10 day quarantine period, no testing is required if no symptoms presented themselves during daily checks. Additionally, quarantine can end after Day 7 if the patient tests negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring.
Read the CDC’s guidelines
Read MA’s guidelines
MassGeneral’s Chief of Infectious Diseases selected as Director of the Centers for Disease Control for the Biden Administration
Dr. Rochelle Walensky will head the national health executive team, whose first challenge will be managing the United States’ response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Walensky is internationally recognized for her work in the field of HIV/AIDS. She has pushed U.S. and global policy toward routine HIV screening and promoted the idea of HIV treatment as prevention.
Read more on MassGeneral.org
Museum of Science poll results show optimism for vaccine
A recently released poll from the Museum of Science reveals that 24% of respondents believe we will have a vaccine available by the end of the 2020, and 42% believe the vaccine will be ready in early 2021. The survey also contained the finding that although 38% would take the vaccine right away, 28% of respondents would delay until many others had already taken it.
Read more on MassIncPollingGroup.com
WHO combats common COVID-19 myths
The World Health Organization has released information on common misconceptions about the COVID-19 virus. The article delves into the how the virus is transmitted, mask safety, and the effectiveness of different treatments,