Last week Beacon Hill’s weekly COVID-19 positive test rate was less than one percent for a second week in a row after only one percent tested positive three weeks ago.
According to the latest data released by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), last Friday 1,461 residents were tested and 0.2 percent were positive. Two weeks ago only 0.7 residents tested positive according to the BPHC.
Overall since the pandemic started 52,044 Beacon Hill, North End, Back Bay, West End and Downtown residents have been tested for COVID-19 and the data shows that 6.8 percent of those tested were COVID positive. This was the same percentage reported by the BPHC two weeks ago.
Citywide, the weekly positive test rate continues to decrease. According to the BPHC 17,329 residents were tested and 1.6 percent were COVID positive–this was a 24 percent decrease from the 2.1 percent positive test rate reported by the BPHC two weeks ago.
Last week, the Baker-Polito Administration today announced plans to close the Commonwealth’s vaccine pre registration system by the end of May. The COVID-19 Vaccine Finder at vaxfinder.mass.gov will remain available, with over 900 locations listed across the state.
The Administration also announced the expansion of the state’s Homebound Vaccination Program to support in-home vaccinations for all eligible residents who are unable to get to a vaccine site, beginning Monday, May 24.
The pre registration form at vaccinesignup.mass.gov closed to new submissions on Tuesday. According to the administration all remaining people still in the system will be contacted with an opportunity to book appointments before closing out the system on May 31. All remaining people who pre registered will be given an opportunity to book before the system closes.
The state’s Homebound Vaccination Program began on Monday, May 24 and the Administration plans to expand this program to support in-home vaccinations for all eligible residents who are unable to get to a vaccine site. The Administration launched the Homebound Vaccination on March 29 for individuals who met specific federal criteria, such as requiring significant support to leave the home for a medical appointment. Beginning May 24, any individual who has trouble getting to a vaccine site is eligible for the homebound program.
The BPHC data released last Friday showed Beacon Hill, North End, Back Bay, West End and Downtown had an infection rate of 629.9 cases per 10,000 residents, up 0.2 percent from the 628.6 cases per 10,000 residents reported two weeks ago.
An additional 7 residents became infected with the virus last week and the total number of cases in the area increased from 3,503 cases to 3,510 cases as of last Friday.
The statistics released by the BPHC as part of its weekly COVID19 report breaks down the number of cases and infection rates in each neighborhood. It also breaks down the number of cases by age, gender and race. Citywide positive cases of coronavirus increased less than a half percent last week and went from 70,297 cases to 70,546confirmed cases in a week. Eighteen additional Boston residents died from the virus last week and there are now 1,373 total deaths in the city from COVID.