Everett still in “red”, urged to continue precautions as second wave appears forming
By JOSH RESNEK
Massachusetts reported the highest number of new virus infection cases earlier this week, a trend which is continuing.
The rising numbers have prompted a widening of the “red communities” throughout the state to include about 10 locations.
The state notified the city Monday that Everett, and nine others, have been sent an emergency alert by the COVID-19 Command Center to warn of the higher possibility of infection here and in neighboring cities like Chelsea and Revere. Lynn also made the list.
The alert, sent to mobile phone holders encouraged facemask wearing, hand washing, and social and physical distancing.
The city ended its second consecutive week with more than 100 new cases of the virus.
Monday alone, 827 new cases of the virus were reported by the Department of Public Health throughout the state.
Fifteen new deaths were added to the state total of almost 9,800 since the pandemic hit us in March.
Hospital admittances stayed the same and the infection rate remained the same, indicating the lag time necessary for those figures to jump following much higher infection numbers has not yet been felt.
Such jumps in infections ultimately have proven to lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.
However, hospitals and doctors, and nurses have learned how to best deal with the virus and have improved the success rate of those coming through it and getting well as a result of advanced and experimental therapeutics.
However, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions remain more likely to contract the disease, which the president continues to label as “harmless” and “over.”
Those who believe strongly in the science of diseases such as America’s leading epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci insist the virus is neither harmless nor is its spread over.
Indeed, Fauci, who was ridiculed this weekend by the president, pointed to the steep rise in new cases in most of the states of the union, to about 65,000 a day.
Fauci predicts that situation will worsen and enlarge all the other categories such as deaths and hospitalizations.
Massachusetts and Everett remain vigilant about keeping to standards set earlier to reduce the spread of the virus.
The state-wide eviction housing moratorium was lifted this week.
The city of Everett is advertising relief for tenants facing immediate eviction and for landlords who need assistance to pay their mortgages and their city taxes.
Some followers of the mayor’s Facebook site expressed shock and horror that all those depicted as volunteers at the Grace Food Pantry, in a photo spread, were not wearing masks – none of them.