Boston health officials say to ‘remain vigilant’ about COVID during Easter, Passover amid rising cases

With COVID-19 instances on the rise in Boston, the Boston Public Well being Fee is urging Bostonians to make use of warning as they have a good time upcoming holidays, corresponding to Patriots Day, Easter, Passover, and Ramadan, which has already begun.

“With a lot to sit up for, the Boston Public Well being Fee is encouraging residents to stay vigilant about COVID-19 and to make use of the instruments that we all know work — masking, vaccines, boosters, and testing — to guard themselves and people round them earlier than gathering this week and subsequent,” the fee wrote in a weblog submit.

Group positivity in Boston has now reached 6.2%, which is above the Fee’s threshold of concern of 5%, and is much above the two.2% price the town reported in early March.

Seven metropolis neighborhoods are presently above the 5% positivity threshold, the fee stated. These neighborhoods are Charlestown, at 8.2%, Allston-Brighton, at 7.9%, Downtown, at 7.6%, South Boston, at 7%, the South Finish, at 6.9%, Jamaica Plain, at 6.2%, and West Roxbury, at 6.0%.

The fee additionally stated that information reveals the age group with the very best positivity price proper now could be folks aged 20 to 30.

The fee highlighted these suggestions for avoiding spreading or getting COVID-19 in the course of the holidays:

• Put on a well-fitting masks
• Get examined earlier than going to indoor gatherings
• Get a booster shot if you happen to haven’t already
• Collect exterior and open home windows as a lot as doable
• For those who’re feeling sick, keep house