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Though the numbers aren't as bad as they were in the wake of the holiday season, the numbers are still higher than they were last summer, when the East Coast “flattened the curve” and saw a dramatic decrease in cases.
However, while the numbers are still improving slightly, more infections are being reported in younger Massachusetts residents, causing concern for some health officials.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Health, new COVID-19 infections have been spreading most prominently to younger residents who have been getting complacent and have begun gathering and loosening COVID-19 restrictions as the weather gets warmer.
In the past two weeks, COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in these age groups:
- 0-19: 5,316 cases;
- 20-29: 4,137;
- 30-39; 3,272;
- 40-49; 2,807;
- 50-59; 2,769;
- 60-69; 1,734;
- 70-79; 627;
- 80 and over: 281.
There are now nearly 80 COVID-19 patients being treated in Massachusetts hospitals, up slightly, though there are fewer in ICU as more infections are being reported in younger people.
According to the Department of Health, as of Monday, March 29, Massachusetts has received a total of 3,776,560 COVID-19 does from the federal government, with 3,409,635 administered. A total of 1,271,8008 individuals have completed the vaccination process.
“We have to begin to re-think how COVID case data is interpreted," Dr. John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital said to ABC News.
”With rapid dissemination of the vaccines, increases in cases among healthy populations will not necessarily translate to hospitalizations and deaths as previously seen during the pandemic."
Health officials said there are currently approximately 31,428 active COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, and there have been a total of 594,242 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
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