Moderna announced this week that its COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Young children so far remain ineligible for the vaccines, but the company plans to submit its data to federal health officials, which would kick off formal regulatory processes.
Data and public records reporter
Moderna announced this week that its COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Young children so far remain ineligible for the vaccines, but the company plans to submit its data to federal health officials, which would kick off formal regulatory processes.
It was exactly two months ago that COVID-19 cases hit their peak in the omicron wave and began to drop. Since then, they have fallen a dramatic 96 percent.
Now they’re leveling off.
The rolling average of new cases last week was 15. Today it is just under 14. Those numbers are lower than they have been in months, but they are nowhere near the lull of last June and July, when most days saw just a handful of cases.
Meanwhile cases are trending up — ever so slightly — across Massachusetts. The statewide average, which had dropped to some 700 new daily cases, is now back above 800.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, says we should expect cases to rise but that he does not foresee one of the surges that European countries have dealt with lately.
The good news is still good. The Berkshires has a nearly 75 percent vaccination rate, which, while still lower than ideal, masks the fact that the 65-and-older population is extremely well-protected. Also, good weather is on its way, which means people will spend more time outdoors, where virus spread is far more limited.
But the bad news is that cases are rising in the state, and we could be next. In the omicron surge, Berkshire County lagged the commonwealth for a bit — cases rose in our neighboring counties before they did here — but eventually this county also saw a surge, with unprecedented levels of virus spread, and a significant spike in hospitalizations and deaths.
And many of the protections we relied on are gone. Grocery stores are a mix of masked and unmasked faces; many people are gathering freely in homes; the Stop the Spread sites will soon cease operating, limiting asymptomatic testing options; federal funding for effective treatments is no longer a given.
That means, whatever happens next, all we’ll really be able to do is watch — and perhaps modify our own behaviors.
To read the full Checkup, go online to BerkshireEagle.com.
What does that mean for you? It’s hard to say.
If it helps, here’s my plan: I’ll be staying home and testing myself if I have so much as a sniffle, but otherwise I’m going to gather with my (vaccinated and boosted) friends indoors, eat at restaurants and go to the movie theater. I’ll probably wear a mask in the grocery store for a bit longer (why not?) and choose outdoor activities when it’s nice out, but I certainly won’t turn down a dinner or party invitation either.
If case counts rise, I’ll reevaluate. At higher levels of spread, I’ll weigh each activity that I enjoy with what I know about the risk — to myself and to others.
For now, though, I’ll enjoy the lull. There is so much evidence that staying apart from one another has hurt us in so many ways. Just look at the rise in overdoses, and alcohol deaths, during the pandemic. If this is our new reality, to adjust to surges and plateaus as they come and go, then we should take advantage of the time we have.
Over the last week, there were 96 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Berkshire County, for a seven-day rolling average of 14 new daily cases by Friday.
That is a 20 percent decrease from two weeks ago.
There were three new deaths reported in Berkshire County over the last week, for a pandemic total of 368, according to state data.
Berkshire Health Systems had four hospitalized patients with positive COVID-19 tests as of Friday.
Berkshire County is at a low COVID-19 level under the community levels set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which weigh hospitalization rates as well as new case counts. At this level, CDC guidelines recommend staying up-to-date with vaccines and getting tested if you have symptoms.
Across Massachusetts, 77.1 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, according to state data. 74 percent of Berkshire County residents were vaccinated fully as of the last report.
TESTING SITES: You can get tests for COVID-19 at the following three locations:
• Pittsfield – 505 East St., St Luke’s Square, adjacent to BHS Urgent Care – Open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• North Adams – 98 Church St., next to the North Adams Library – Open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Great Barrington – 475 Main St., next to the Great Barrington Police Department – Open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Appointments for testing are required at all locations. Call 855-262-5465 or visit berkshirepatientportal.com. The hotline is typically open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
VACCINE ACCESS: The Berkshire Health Systems testing centers also provide vaccine, including boosters. Vaccine appointments can be made by calling the hotline at 855-262-5465 or visiting the Berkshire Patient Portal.
Community Health Programs posts the schedule for its mobile vaccination van at chpberkshires.org/mobile. Vaccines are available with no appointment necessary. For information call 413-528-0457.
Francesca Paris can be reached at fparis@berkshireeagle.com.
and 413-447-7311, ext. 239.
Data and public records reporter
Francesca Paris is The Eagle’s data and public records reporter.
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