"We know the experiences of people with disabilities are unique and nuanced – which is why we're asking you to take our Community Health Equity survey.
Your answers can help us develop new ways to improve accessibility for all in MA: https://t.co/XyKgancaRD"
Shared from -> https://twitter.com/MassDPH/status/1703151836721557915
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| Mass. Public Health seeks your input on survey: "What makes a community healthy and strong?" |
"In recognition of Overdose Awareness Day, an annual observance in Massachusetts and around the world, Governor Charlie Baker, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, Department of Public Health Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Barrelle, DPH Director of Bureau of Substance Addiction Services Deirdre Calvert, and other state and local officials today joined families, friends, and volunteers in planting 20,000 flags on Boston Common, signifying the Massachusetts residents who died as a result of drug overdose in the past 10 years. The Baker-Polito Administration also issued a proclamation declaring August 31st Overdose Awareness Day across the Commonwealth.
The purple flags were planted at the Common’s Liberty Mall in front of the State House to honor and remember individuals who lost their lives to overdose, acknowledge the loss felt by family and friends, raise awareness, and remove the stigma of drug-related deaths. An information booth was set up to offer addiction prevention and recovery support resources."
The BA.5 version of COVID-19 has become the majority variant of the virus in America in a matter of weeks, in a troubling development that comes amid what may already be America’s second-largest wave of the pandemic.
It also comes at a time when much of the US has relaxed nearly all COVID restrictions in public and life has largely returned to normal.
“COVID-19 is very clearly not over. We’re seeing dramatic increases in the number of cases and hospitalizations in many places throughout the United States,” said Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health.
As BA.5, one of the Omicron sub-variants, begins buffeting the US, “we’re headed in a bad direction”, Salemi said. “We’ve seen it coming for a while … We’ve seen it go pretty unabated.”
State officials said Friday they will scale back the number of times each week that they post COVID-19 data to the official dashboard from five days a week to just one, an alteration they say reflects the changing nature of the pandemic.
The data will be posted every Thursday and the change takes place next week, the Department of Public Health said in a statement.
Under the new plan, the contact tracing and clusters tabs will be removed from the COVID-19 Cases category. That data, the statement said, no longer represents the situation due to changes in investigation and tracing practices.
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| Town of Franklin Health Dept COVID portal |
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| Weekly COVID-19 stats from DPH via Boston Globe |
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| Town of Franklin Health Dept COVID-19 Dashboard |
Massachusetts Department of Public Health releases updated face covering advisory: https://t.co/1HtpRtg0rj
#Covid19MA https://t.co/v1ACvsrRnD
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| Ben's guide to mask wearing - #DoYourPartFranklin |
Franklin, MA COVID-19 case counts continue to be driven by the omicron variant. Two weeks ago the positivity was 8%, last week we were at 17.06%. This week the positivity rate is at 22.83%.
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| This week positivity rate is at 22.83% |
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| chart for week of 1/13/22 - note scale for Y axis same as for last week |
Reminhttps://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/01/medicaregov-3-things-you-can-do-to.htmlder via Medicare.gov -> "3 things you can do to protect yourself from Omicron (vax, boost, mask!)" https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/01/medicaregov-3-things-you-can-do-to.html
Mass.gov COVID-19 page -> https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting
The CDC page for COVID-19 tracking -> https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
"Arguing the state has been too hands-off in quelling the latest COVID-19 surge, Democratic state lawmakers on Tuesday pressed Governor Charlie Baker to take a more aggressive posture on testing in schools, masking rules, and public messaging.
The leaders of a legislative committee peppered Baker and his health secretary, Marylou Sudders, with questions over a combined 75 minutes, at times engaging in testy exchanges about the governor’s turbulent distribution of masks to educators and his administration’s resistance to a universal mask mandate.
A through-line of their requests: more."
"GOV. CHARLIE BAKER often says he and his political opponents will “agree to disagree.” That could have been the mantra of Tuesday’s oversight hearing of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management.As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surges through Massachusetts, overwhelming hospitals, lawmakers monitoring the state’s response questioned Baker and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders in a 1 1/2-hour virtual hearing. They pressed the officials on vaccination outreach, education policy, and how to help the state’s struggling health care system. "
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| Governor Charlie Baker spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.JONATHAN WIGGS/GLOBE STAFF |
"Massachusetts on Tuesday issued new guidance on when residents should seek COVID-19 testing, aligning the state with measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The guidance was updated as Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced that the state has secured an order to get 26 million rapid antigen COVID-19 tests over the next three months.Here’s a look at the Department of Public Health’s new guidance on COVID testing:When should you get tested?The state is recommending that residents get a COVID test when they’re experiencing symptoms of the virus or five days after a known close contact with someone who has tested positive."
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| Rapid antigen test kits.JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF |
Free lab-based PCR testing w/ home collection is available to all Massachusetts adults who...▪️ live or work in a congregate settings▪️ have symptoms▪️ had a COVID-19 exposure▪️ have been referred for testingLearn more and request a kit here: https://t.co/viodRS3duu
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| Town of Franklin, MA: free COVID test kits for those who "live or work in a congregate settings" |
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| Be careful this holiday season, the COVID-19 cases are climbing, and that is not good |
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| COvid-19 cases 12/23/21 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/15/nation/massachusetts-confirmed-coronavirus-cases-by-city/ |
The Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original virus that causes #COVID19. Help stop Omicron by using all the tools to protect yourself and others.
Learn more: https://t.co/wbu65L0mgM.
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| Help stop Omicron by using all the tools to protect yourself and others |
"Massachusetts coronavirus case numbers have lurched upward in recent days, in a worrisome development that experts say underlines the need for people to get vaccinated and to take precautions such as wearing masks in indoor public spaces.
Case numbers began rising from rock-bottom levels in early July, hit a peak in mid-September, and then declined until early this month. But in the past week or so, they began to rise again. The seven-day average of reported cases was 1,182 on Nov. 3. A week later, as of Nov. 10, it had jumped to 1,481. "
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| ‘The pandemic is not over’ |
#DidYouKnow @MassDPH issues weekly #vaccination rates by town/city?
It's true. Every Thursday. Download here: https://t.co/h1hnSpvxky
Here are the overall rates in communities in my current district & those that will come into the district in 2023.Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/Becca_Rausch/status/1452664558506631179
#MApoli #COVID19 #transparency https://t.co/OLblEeRaOb
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| Sen. Becca Rausch reminder on DPH vaccination rates released weekly |
"Did you know about 1 in 3 teens in Massachusetts vapes? That's why we're asking parents to Get Outraged about the tobacco and vaping industries.
Learn more at https://t.co/FTB7qi7p7f or https://www.mass.gov/get-outraged"Shared from Twitter:
"Massachusetts offers in-home vaccinations for anyone who can't travel to a vaccination location. To learn more and sign up for an in-home vaccination, call (833) 983-0485.
Learn more about the in-home vaccination program: https://t.co/Aoly326Nn8
#TrustTheFacts #GetTheVax"
Shared from https://t.co/ooVrOH7k5E
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| Mass. Public Health - in-home vaccination available |
"Vapes come in all shapes and sizes. But most have one thing in common: nicotine.
Get Outraged was created to help parents uncover the truth about vaping and keep kids healthy and safe.
Learn more at https://t.co/FTB7qi7p7f " or https://www.mass.gov/get-outraged
Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/lGO2Vk1W4T
Video link -> https://youtu.be/61qY4ooWWvE"The southern surge is slowing
And cases in some Northern states rising
So it is all seasonal? Are vaccines working?
Let's look at data
Today the 10 LEAST vaccinated states had
2X the cases
3X the hospitalizations
5X the deaths
compared to 10 most vaccinated states
Thread -> https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1441968897981353984?s=03
A lot of folks have been arguing the summer surge was "seasonal" And now, the northern half of US poised to get hit And if you look at states with biggest outbreaks today Alaska, ID, WY, WV, MT, KY, ND Largely not in the deep south So should all northern states worry? 2/4 https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1441968899050909697
While we see cases rising in northern states There are two distinct patterns here: 1. States with low vax rates getting slammed, having to ration hospital beds 2. States with high vax rates rising slowly with lots of hospital capacity And the most interesting part? https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1441968900070125568
Widening gap in cases vs deaths! High vax states: 50% fewer cases per capita But 80% fewer deaths! Vaccines shine in preventing deaths So if you're worried about this fall More testing, masks will help But getting more folks vaccinated still key to avoiding bad surge End https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1441968901068402688
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| #TrustTheFacts #GetTheVax |
"It's more important than ever to practice self-care and support your mental health. Relax, stay socially connected at a safe distance, and take a deep breath.
If you're in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. #StopSuicide" https://t.co/745s6GoH8i
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassDPH/status/1440380331077496835?s=03
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| Mass. Public Health reminds us to practice self-care and support your mental health |
"Amid a nationwide push to rethink policing strategies and reduce the use of force when possible, a new Boston program seeks to scale back police involvement in 911 mental-health calls.Last month, Acting Mayor Kim Janey announced a pilot program encouraging greater use of mental-health workers, EMTs and trained community members during 911 mental health calls. In a city that received 10,000 such calls last year, officials are seeking to de-escalate fragile mental-health interactions while easing the strain on police resources.“This mental-health response will help us evaluate how to deliver the best possible response for our residents when they are in crisis,” Janey said during an Aug. 5 press conference. “These investments will help connect residents and their families with the care they need. They will also help us send officers to where they are needed most.”
As a mom of 3 little boys, I am desperate to get my kids' childhood back to normal. As a doctor, I want data to know that what we're doing is actually effective. I was floored when I graphed these numbers from ATL schools this week. #maskmandate https://t.co/7prNuI7XAQShared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/maurageorgemd/status/1431368291948302347?s=03
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| COVID-19 cases in Atlanta students, mask mandate |
"As the Delta variant grips the country, children who are not yet eligible for vaccination are at higher risk of being infected — especially in places where the virus is surging. A New Orleans children’s hospital had so many Covid-19 patients that a federal “surge team” was called in to bolster an exhausted staff.Children under 12 may have to wait until the end of the year to get vaccinated. Half of the adolescents in the U.S. have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the White House said on Friday."
"Source investigation complements standard contact tracing; it’s not a substitute. When outbreaks are detected, people need to be informed immediately, so they can get tested and ensure they are not unknowingly spreading the virus. Once a cluster is detected, venues should re-evaluate their COVID mitigation measures and ensure that staff are vaccinated and ventilation systems refresh indoor air at least four to six times per hour. High-risk venues should keep lists of patrons, and outreach to customers through social media can be very effective. Mandating that customers are vaccinated, as New York, San Francisco and New Orleans have done, may not suffice to prevent outbreaks. Some European countries are requiring evidence of a negative coronavirus test for unvaccinated people entering indoor entertainment venues.The Provincetown outbreak occurred as thousands of people arrived to celebrate the Fourth of July, believing their vaccinations would protect them against infection. When infected people began feeling ill, some didn’t immediately attribute their symptoms to COVID-19 because of the widespread belief that breakthrough infections were almost impossible. After the cases emerged, the local health department’s investigation was undoubtedly helped by strong word-of-mouth communication, as many infections affected members of the gay community, a group that for decades has witnessed the effects of the AIDS pandemic. Since then, many local businesses have reassessed their COVID mitigation measures, the town reinstituted an indoor mask mandate and new cases have leveled off."
"Yeah. It’s the height of American exceptionalism that we are where we are. I have family in other parts of the world where health-care workers and vulnerable elderly people are begging to get the vaccine. And here, we’re sitting on stockpiles and begging people to take the vaccine.I think how we got here is complicated, right? I agree with the surgeon general in issuing the advisory about misinformation and disinformation — certainly that plays a big role here. There are individuals out there who are knowingly spreading misinformation. There are others who are clicking and then, unfortunately, sharing misinformation that’s leading to question that and the efficacy of vaccines. That misinformation is taking away people’s freedom to make decisions for themselves and their families.And I think the Biden administration needs to take some responsibility here, also, for their miscalculation and misjudgment in being so uneasy about vaccine verification and relying on the honor code. Come on. Did they really think that the honor system was going to work during a pandemic when many people behaved so dishonorably? The honor system did not work. And, of course, the unvaccinated are now running around living their lives as if they are vaccinated. And that’s led to the surge that we are now seeing. We lost the powerful incentive to increase vaccines in that really important window."
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| Franklin's vaccine stats as of 8/26/21 |
Today's #COVID19MA vaccine update:Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassGov/status/1431003530849144840?s=03
- 10,262,940 doses shipped to MA
- 9,146,498 total doses administered, 11,417 more than yesterday
- 4,472,630 people are fully vaccinated.
Read the full report: https://t.co/QFNcN55NVD
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| Mass.gov #COVID19MA vaccine update |
