Framingham Covid-19 Cases Dip; Positivity Rises

Framingham’s rate of new Covid-19 infections declined this week – but testing dropped more.

The city had 56.3 new cases per 100,000 population over the most recent 14-day period, according to data released today by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. That’s down from 57.3 per 100K a week ago. However, while overall known new infections dipped 1.8%, number of tests dropped 7.5%.

Framingham’s test positivity increased to 7.6%, but that was still lower than the Massachusetts average of 7.7%. However, with the closing of the downtown free walk-in testing center at SMOC, the mix of residents being tested has probably changed. It seems likely that fewer low-income, higher-risk residents are being tested, since the sole remaining free test center in the city is drive-through at the Framingham State commuter parking lot (484 Franklin St.), requiring access to a car.

Framingham’s 56.3 per 100K infection rate was lower than the state average of 61.1. The city’s testing rate per 100,000 population was a bit lower than the state-wide average: 12,045 per 100K city-wide vs 12,751 per 100K across Massachusetts.