For Immediate Release: 5/21/2021 3:23 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update for May 14:
There are 23,664 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the City of Worcester. This is an increase of 85 cases from Friday, May 7. This represents 22 fewer new cases than last week, when there were 107.
The last time the City had fewer than 100 new cases over a one-week period was in August 2020.
Positive case counts in surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 2,960 (increase of 6 from last Friday); Holden: 1,465 (increase of 5 from last Friday); Grafton: 1,184 (increase of 3 from last Friday)
All combined medical facilities of Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care had 18 (decrease of 17 from last week) total COVID-positive in-patients and 7 (decrease of 8 from last week) total COVID-positive ICU patients. To date, their facilities have had 733 (increase of 5 from last week) total COVID-related deaths.
To date, there have been 424 deaths of Worcester residents from COVID-19 (no increase from last week)
According to the state Department of Public Health, a combined total of 165,938 doses (increase of 9,265 from last week) have been administered for Worcester. A total of 69,866 (roughly 38 percent of the population) have received their second dose and are fully vaccinated. A total of 96,072 (about 52 percent) have received their first dose.
A total of 14,625 vaccination doses have been administered through the City’s Mobile Vaccination Clinics to 10,099 individuals. Of those vaccinations, 7,210 first doses, 4,526 second doses, and 2,889 single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been administered.
As of Thursday, May 20, 80,848 doses had been administered through the Regional Vaccination site at Worcester State University.
Health and Human Services staff and volunteers administered vaccinations in Worcester high schools this week, and will be visiting middle schools next week. A total of 834 first doses were administered to students this week (see breakdown below):
Among the upcoming clinics (see full schedule for next week, including Middle School clinics, below) is one at Polar Park Tuesday, May 25, 4:30-8 p.m. No registration is required and it is open to all individuals ages 12-up who wish be vaccinated. Enjoy music, food and prizes, see the ballpark and meet special guests.
Mobile Clinics scheduled for next week:
(Please note that middle school clinics are only for students 12-plus, with their families.)
The Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center has set up a walk-in Equity Clinic Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the St. Joan of Arc Parish Recreation Center at 570 Lincoln St. The clinic is available for individuals ages 12-up.
Do you qualify for Equity Clinics? You must meet one of the following criteria
Find more information about the COVID-19 virus, and the City’s vaccination efforts, including the latest Mobile Vaccination Clinics, visit www.worcesterma.gov/coronavirus/vaccination.
The vaccination site at Mercantile Center, which is run by UMass Memorial Health Care, is now accepting walk-ins, ages 12-up. No appointment is necessary from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The site is also still accepting appointments, from 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Appointments can be made at www.mass.gov. Discounted parking is available in the Mercantile Center Garage.
A total of 560 calls were made to seniors this week. The calls are a combination of wellness checks, assisting with vaccination appointments, and helping with other issues, such as accessing food, benefits and housing. Elder Services of Worcester Area delivered 5,528 meals to seniors.
For the week of May 24, free walk-in COVID-19 testing offered by UMass Memorial Health Care will be available Monday, May 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday, May 27, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Mercantile Center, 201 Commercial St., Worcester (intersection of Commercial and Mechanic streets). For more locations around the state, visit www.mass.gov./info-details/stop-the-spread. The state has extended free Stop the Spread testing through Sept. 30.
• Effective Monday, May 29, all industries in Massachusetts will be allowed to open at full capacity. In addition, Gov. Charlie Baker’s order requiring masks to be worn will be rescinded, with a new face covering advisory put in place that is consistent with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, Gov. Baker will lift the State of Emergency effective June 15. For the latest information on the status of COVID-19 and guidelines in Massachusetts, visit www.mass.gov.
City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. has ordered the reopening of municipal buildings and services effective Tuesday, June 1, with the exception of public meetings and Worcester Senior Center. Further guidance on those will follow soon.
City Hall and 25 Meade St., which houses Inspectional Services, Division of Public Health and Fire Prevention, will return to their regular scheduled hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Municipal Service Center at 801 Main St. will open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For the week of May 24, the Main Branch of the Worcester Public Library at 3 Salem Square will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No appointments are necessary. Effective Tuesday, June 1, hours at the Main Branch will be as follows: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are no changes to the schedules for the six branch libraries. Information about those schedules can be found at https://mywpl.org/locations-hours.
The Friends Bookstore in the Worcester Public Library will reopen Tuesday, May 25. New hours at the bookstore will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Saturdays, 1:30-5 p.m. Additional hours will be announced in the future. Volunteers are being sought to help staff the bookstore. For more information, visit the bookstore or call 508-799-1686.
Visitors to municipal buildings should be aware that all entrances and exits will reopen. All non-vaccinated visitors must continue to wear masks inside municipal buildings at all times (signs will be posted).
Special events requiring City permits will no longer be held to COVID-19 guidelines, but must continue to follow the Special Events Permit Process. Find a Special Event Permit application and other permits at www.worcesterma.gov/parks/permits-licensing. For information on all city permits, licenses and fees, visit the Permit Center at www.worcesterma.gov/permit-center.
Beginning Monday, May 24, the Massachusetts Homebound Vaccination Program will be available to any individual who faces difficulty getting to a vaccine site. Individuals can call 833-983-0485 to register for an in-home vaccination. The registration line is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is staffed by representatives who speak English and Spanish. Translation services are available in more than 100 languages.
