Framingham’s rate of known new Covid-19 cases stayed roughly stable again this week, according to data released today by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. However, while number of cases was almost unchanged (281 vs 282), number of tests administered dropped 8%.
The city’s average daily rate of known new cases per 100,000 over the last 14 days was at 27.0, about the same as the prior week’s 27.1. These case rates remain about the same as they were in mid-November, despite increasing numbers of Massachusetts residents having at least some vaccine protection.
If cases are stable while more people have vaccine protection, that seems to indicate new higher infection rates among the remaining population that’s still unvaccinated.
Test positivity was slightly up from last week, at 2.92% vs 2.84%.
Framingham is substantially above the state-wide Covid rate: 27.0 per 100K in the city vs 19.5 state-wide, and 2.92% positivity vs 1.83%.
Once again this week, Framingham remains in the Baker administration’s yellow zone and the CDC’s red zone for highest risk of community transmission. More than 100 total cases per 100,000 population over seven days is deemed highest risk of spread, according to the CDC scale. Some in-person schooling has nevertheless resumed.
Framingham public schools reported 12 positive cases in the last seven days, including 4 at Framingham High School, 3 at Walsh Middle School, and 1 at Cameron Middle School, according to the school system’s dashboard.
Massachusetts Communities by CDC Risk Level
(The map below is approximate, since the CDC uses a 7-day total while the state reports a 14-day total; calculations below divide the 14-day total by two, which may not reflect significant changes between the two weeks.)