For Immediate Release: 4/15/2021 4:21 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update:
To date, there have been 22,734 overall confirmed positive cases in Worcester. That is an increase of 364 cases since the City’s last COVID update on Thursday, April 8.
Positive case counts in surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 2,868 (increase of 52); Holden: 1,400 (increase of 16); Grafton: 1,130 (increase of 26).
UMass Memorial Health Care and Saint Vincent Hospital have a combined total of 87 COVID-positive in-patients (increase of 40) and 23 total COVID-positive ICU patients (increase of 3). To date, the combined facilities have had 715 COVID-related deaths (increase of 5). A total of 1,747 employees have tested positive for the virus (no change). All changes are from previous week’s report.
There have been 418 deaths of Worcester residents.
As of April 12, the City’s Division of Public Health reported that 61,868 total Worcester residents, or roughly 33 percent of the City’s population, had received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 34,056 residents, about 18 percent, have received their second dose and are fully vaccinated. That’s a total of 95,924 doses.
Of the roughly 25,187 seniors 65 years of age and older in Worcester, 19,272 (77 percent) have received at least their first dose; 14,335 (57 percent) have been fully vaccinated.
As of Wednesday, a total of 9,391 doses have been administered via Mobile Vaccinations.
The City has administered a total of 5,909 Equity Doses through the State’s Vaccine Equity Initiative, which targets the hardest-hit neighborhoods and most under-represented populations in 20 Massachusetts Cities and Towns.
There have been 52,116 doses administered at the Regional Vaccination Site offered at Worcester State University.
A pause has been put on the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the wake of reported blood clots involving six cases in the U.S. The FDA reported earlier this week that 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered, an indication that the cases appear to be extremely rare. Out of an abundance of caution, however, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health put an immediate pause on administering the vaccine. In Worcester, mobile clinics continue with the other two available vaccines – Phizer and Moderna – and health officials remain confident in both the efficacy and safety of the vaccines. Common side effects that typically ease within a day or so of receiving the vaccine include fever, chills, body aches, headaches, nausea and general malaise. If you experience the following after vaccination, contact your physician or seek medical care: several headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath.
There were 767 vaccine doses administered at the City’s first walk-in Equity Vaccine Mobile Clinic Saturday, April 10 at the YMCA at 766 Main St. The clinic was available to Equity- and Phase-eligible individuals.
Free, walk-in COVID-19 testing is available Monday, April 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday, April 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Mercantile Center, 201 Commercial St., Worcester. For more locations around the state, visit www.mass.gov./info-details/stop-the-spread.
