It seems the city’s “B Together” mandate that requires all employees and patrons at indoor venues to show proof of vaccination is having an impact on COVID infections in Beacon Hill and across the city. The mandate, which kicked off early in January, has been in effect for nearly three weeks and the weekly COVID positive test rate has decreased in the neighborhood and across the city once again.
Sadly, deaths from COVID in Boston increased once again and it is becoming more evident that the virus is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.
Three weeks ago over nearly 2.4 out of every 10 residents tested for the virus last week turned out to be positive but last week only 1.2 out of every 10 Beacon Hill residents and residents in the surrounding area tested were positive.
According to the weekly report released Monday by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), 2,328 Beacon Hill, North End, Back Bay, West End and Downtown residents were tested and 12.5 percent were positive. This was a 33 percent decrease from the 18.7 percent that tested positive between January 17 and January 24. The weekly positive test rate has decreased 47.5 percent in the area overall since January 17.
Two hundred ninety one additional residents have been infected with the virus between January 24 and January 31 and the total number of cases in the area increased to 7,948 cases overall since the pandemic began.
The citywide weekly positive test rate also decreased last week. According to the BPHC 29,063 residents were tested and 17 percent were COVID positive–this was a 29 percent decrease from the 24 percent that reportedly tested positive for the week ending on January 24. The weekly positive test rate has now decreased 46 percent in Boston since January 17.
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 4 percent last week and went from 151,584 cases to 157,675 confirmed cases in a week.
However, there were 36 additional deaths in Boston from the virus in the past week and the total COVID deaths is now at 1,624. Deaths increased 6 percent in Boston last week, two more than the 34 deaths reported by the BPHC two weeks ago.