For Immediate Release: 1/28/2022 6:00 pm
City and public health officials continue to be cautiously optimistic that the Omicron variant is past its peak in the community, though they remain vigilant given that COVID-19 case counts are still posing a significant burden on the health care system.
While the seven-day average of positive cases in the city continues to decline, down to 278 cases, it is still above last year’s peak of just under 200. Therefore, measures put in place by executive order for the month of January will continue through at least Feb. 6. Those measures include keeping City Hall and other municipal building services (excluding the DCU Center and Senior Center) appointment only; maintaining all city board and commission meetings to a virtual format; and keeping the Senior Center closed to in-person programming.
The executive order will be re-assessed on a week-to-week basis.
Virtual Senior Center programming will continue to be available, and residents can email elderaffairs@worcesterma.gov or call 508-799-1232 for more information.
Officials urge everyone to be up to date on their vaccines and booster shots. To date, 41 percent of eligible city residents have received a booster dose, up two percent since last week. These shots are crucial in reducing the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. (Additionally, 60 percent of city residents are considered “fully vaccinated” and 71 percent have received at least one dose.)
There are weekly walk-up clinics in the city that offer free vaccines and boosters.
(The Jan. 29 clinic at the Worcester Public Library has been canceled due to the winter storm.)
The updated schedule of weekly walk-up vaccination and booster clinics open to the entire eligible population will be as follows as of Feb. 1:
YMCA (766 Main Street)
Every Monday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Worcester Public Library (Salem Square)
Every Wednesday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Every Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Worcester Senior Center
Every Friday, 12 – 8 p.m.
Mercantile Center
Every Monday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Every Tuesday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Every Thursday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Every Friday, 12 – 3 p.m.
In addition, the Health and Human Services mobile vaccination van has begun its deployments and will pop up at various locations in the city, including at the WOOLYMPICS at the Worcester Common, from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 5.
The UMass Memorial Health Care Mercantile Center clinic will continue to offer testing four days a week through February. Those days are:
People can still order a free set of four tests from the federal government by visiting COVIDtests.gov and now also by calling 1-800-232-0233.
Also, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, officials recommend the public upgrade their masks if possible to N95 or KN95 versions in public spaces. These masks have proven to be more effective given the highly contagious nature of the Omicron variant.
For more information about vaccines and testing, visit worcesterma.gov.
