COVID-19 Weekly Update May Archive

by Art and Maura Keene

As Of Monday, May 24, The Indy’s COVID-19 Daily Update becomes the COVID-19 Weekly Update and each Monday will post the latest confirmed case counts for Coronavirus (COVID-19) for Massachusetts, for the nation and for the globe.  

Making Sense of the Numbers
Authorities caution that the confirmed case count is a substantial underestimate of the actual number of cases.  

We rely on well-vetted sources to produce our daily update and draw mostly from the following: Center for Disease Control (CDC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Johns Hopkins University, Yale School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Washington Post, New York Times, The Guardian, NPR, STAT News, and the Twitter feeds and/or blogs of Andy Slavitt, Greg Gonsolves, Ezekiel Emanuel, Marc Lipsich, and David Wallace-Wells.

Archives
The Indy began posting COVID-19 Daily Update on March 18, 2020. Here are links to archives of previous months’ posts. March, April , May,  June,  July,  August,  September,  October,  November,  December,  January, February, March 21, April 21
,
Henceforth, numbers in parentheses will indicate increase or decrease in count from previous Monday.

UPDATE MONDAY May 31 as of 8AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 706,945 (1803)
Deaths: 17,872 (51)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2799 (+1) Currently Active – 8 (-13)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 34,043,068 (146,378)
Confirmed Deaths – 609,544 (5,457)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:171,096,112
Deaths: 3,558,173 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Vietnam Detects New Highly Contagious COVID-19 Variant
(NPR)
Uruguay Battles To Contain New COVID Surge
(Washington Post)
US On Pace To Reach Biden’s. Vaccination Goal Of 70% By End Of Summer
(New York Times)
Million Dollar Lotteries As COVID Vaccine Incentives Spread To More States
(Yahoo Finance)
US Air Travel Surges. So Do Mask Disputes
(New York Times)
COVID Summer:Fauci Warns US To Not Declare Victory Over COVID-19 In Spite Of Lowest New Case Rates In A Year
(The Guardian)
Backlash Expected As Hundreds Of US Colleges Adopt Vaccine Mandate For Fall
(The Guardian)
Long-COVID Patients Are Getting Diagnosed With Little Known Illnesses Like POTS
(Time)
Why is The COVID-19 Lab Leak Theory Getting So Much Attention Now
(IFL Science)
What Breakthrough COVID Infections Can Tell Us
(The Atlantic)

UPDATE MONDAY May 24 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 705,142
Deaths: 17,823
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2798 Currently Active – 21
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,896,690
Confirmed Deaths – 604,087
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:167,589,687
Deaths: 3,479,792 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Hampden County Remains The Least Vaccinated In Massachusetts
(Boston Globe)
US COVID Cases Drop To Lowest Level In Almost A Year
(New York Times)
US Vaccination Map Looks lIke 2020 Election Map
(CNN)
Less Pollution Due To COVID Lockdowns May Have Prevented More than 30,000 Deaths
(Science Advances)
Robert Reich: Eight Lessons From The COVID Pandemic
(The Guardian)

UPDATE SATURDAY May 22 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 704,345 (+448)
Deaths: 17,813 (+11)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2798 (+0) Currently Active – 21 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,862,348 (+29,167)
Confirmed Deaths – 603,408 (+792)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:166,554,851
Deaths: 3,459,746 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Trust The Science But Maybe Not The Humans. Retailers Ponder Lifting Of COVID Restrictions In MA
(Boston Globe)
From Lifted Restrictions To Lottery Rewards, States Finding New Ways To Incentivize Vaccines
(CNN)
For Colleges, Vaccine Mandates Often Depend On Which Party Is In Power
(New York Times)
COVID Scared People From Giving CPR To Strangers
(Washington Post)
India Battles Rash Of Black Fungus Cases Hitting COVID-19 Patients
(Reuters)

UPDATE FRIDAY May 21 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 703,897 (+605)
Deaths: 17,802 (+8)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2798 (+1) Currently Active – 21 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,833,181 (+30,847)
Confirmed Deaths – 602,616 (+667)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:165,992,336
Deaths: 3,446,477 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:

The Newest Coronavirus Comes From Dogs
(New York Times)
States Slow To Vaccinate May Struggle This Summer Experts Warn
(CNN)
New York And Maryland Follow Ohio In Creating Lottery Prizes For The Vaccinated
(CNN)
COVID Still A Threat To Europe. Travel Should Be Avoided WHO Says
(The Guardian)
Not Even Singapore’s Rules Could Keep Coronavirus At Bay
(Washington Post)

UPDATE THURSDAY May 20 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 703,292 (+516)
Deaths: 17,794 (+15)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2797 (+2) Currently Active – 21 (-4)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,802,334 (+27,389)
Confirmed Deaths – 601,949 (+619)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:165,648,765
Deaths: 3,433,899 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Stop And Shop To Lift Mask Requirements For Fully Vaccinated Customers
(MassLive)
In 19 States, At Least Half Of Adults Are Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
(CNN)
Fauci: Americans Will Probably Need Booster Shot Within A Year
(The Guardian)
Ohio Hits Highest Vaccination Rate In Weeks After Offering Million Dollar Prize
(The Guardian)
CDC’s Abrupt Change In Mask Guidance Puts People At Risk
(Time)
Indian Coronavirus Variant Detected In North Texas
(Dallas Morning News)
A New Infectious Coronavirus Appears In Malaysia. It’s Coming From Dogs
(NPR)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY May 19 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 702,776 (+438)
Deaths: 17,779 (+7)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2795 (+0) Currently Active – 25 (+b0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,774,945 (+27,506)
Confirmed Deaths – 601,330 (+386)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:164,968,186
Deaths: 3,420,906 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:

Number Of Active COVID Cases Rapidly Declines In MA As 46% Now Fully Vaccinated
(MassLive)
Outdoor Mask Mandate Ends For Youth Sports In MA Schools
(NBC Boston)
Fauci: New CDC Guidance Not A Mandate To Take Masks Off
(The Guardian)
European Union To Open Borders For Those With Approved Vaccines
(Washington Post)
India Sets Record For Highest Daily Death Toll Of Any Country
(Huff Post)
Indian Variant Could Quickly Become Dominant In US Scientists Warn
(Washington Post)
Taiwan Raises COVID Alert Level As Infections Increase
(The Guardian)
How The Pandemic Ends
(StatNews)

UPDATE TUESDAY May 18 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 702,338 (+199)
Deaths: 17,772 (+19)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2795 (+1) Currently Active – 25 (-9)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,747,439 (+31,848)
Confirmed Deaths – 600,533 (+797)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:164,333,208
Deaths: 3,406,346 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Amherst Lifts Mask Mandate
(Daily Hampshire Gazette)
COVID-19 Restrictions To Be Lifted In Massachusetts On May 29
(Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Mass Mask Requirements For Youth Sports and Outdoor Activities To End This Week
(NBC Boston)
More Places In US lift Mask Mandates. One Local Leader Says The Honor System Isn’t Working
(CNN)
BIden: Coronavirus Cases Down In All 50 States
(The Week)
US To Donate 20 Million Doses To Global Vaccine Effort
(New York Times)
Japanese Doctors Call For Cancellation Of Olympics
(Washington Post)
The Future Of Virus Tracking Can Be Found On This College Campus
(New York Times)

UPDATE MONDAY May 17 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 702,039 (+549)
Deaths: 17,753 (+6)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2794 (+0) Currently Active – 34 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Updates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,715,591 (+20,035)
Confirmed Deaths – 600,147 (+284)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:163,769,498
Deaths: 3,941,591 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Experts Warn Of Unintended Consequences Of CDC’s Mask Guidance
(CNN)
Don’t Ditch Your Mask Yet
(StatNews)
Fauci: The Undeniable Effects Of Racism Have Worsened The Effects Of COVID For US Minorities
(The Guardian)
How Did COVID Slip Through Taiwan’s Gold Standard Defenses?
(The Guardian)
How India’s COVID-19 Crisis Is Turning Into A Global Emergency
(Time)

UPDATE SUNDAY May 16 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 701,490 (+1,1,53)
Deaths: 17,747 (+5)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2794 (+0) Currently Active – 34 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Discontinued Uodates On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,695,916 (+26,985)
Confirmed Deaths – 599,863 (+549)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:163,249,808
Deaths: 3,385,473 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Baker Has Resisted Setting Separate Rules For Vaccinated And Unvaccinated In MA
(Boston Globe)
School Districts In Massachusetts Mulling COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement
(WCVB)
Mask Policy Across The US Is Rapidly Changing. Here’s What Worries The Experts
(CNN)
Taiwan Reports Record Number Of Cases
(The Guardian)
UK,States With High Degree Of Confidence That Vaccines Are Effective Against Indian Variant
(The Guardian)
The COVID Dilemma. How Vaccinated Parents Are Negotiating Life With Unvaccinated Kids
(Boston Globe)
The US Should Give Away Its Extra Vaccine Doses NOW.
(Vox)

UPDATE SATURDAY May 15 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 700,337 (+429)
Deaths: 17,742 (+20)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2794 (+5) Currently Active – 34 (+7)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 UMass Dashboard Was Discontinued On May 15
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,668,931 (+42,834)
Confirmed Deaths – 599,314 (+774)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:162,602,139
Deaths: 3,373,319 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
How The United States Beat The Coronavirus, For Now
(New York TImes)
700 Epidemiologists Say Pandemic Won’t End Until More People, Including Children Are Vaccinated
(New York Times)
What The New Mask Guidance Means For Unvaccinated Kids And Their Parents
(NPR)
Indian COVID Variant: Which Countries Have Highest Infection Rate
(The Guardian)
Taiwan Rushes To Contain Its Worst Outbreak Of The Pandemic
(The Guardian)

UPDATE FRIDAY May 14 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 699,908 (+721)
Deaths: 17,722 (+10)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2789 (+3) Currently Active – 27 (+1)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 (+0).  Active Cases:26 (-3)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,626,097 (+29,961)
Confirmed Deaths – 598,540 (+755)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:161,900,622
Deaths: 3,360,651 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Massachusetts Mask Order Remains In Place Despite CDC Guidance
(CBS Boston)
CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Go Maskless
(StatNews)
US Vaccine Rollout Expands To Children Ages 12-15
(New York Times)
Eight Members OF New York Yankees Test Positive For COVID 19. All Had Been Vaccinated
(New York Times)
Ohio Offers $1 Million Lottery, Full Scholarships, To Boost Vaccinations
(NPR)
New COVID Surges In Southeast Asia
(Time)
Japan Hospitals Overwhelmed. Cases Surge In Osaka
(The Guardian)
Only 1% of Japan Is Vaccinated Against COVID-19. Is It Ready For Olympics?
(Science)

UPDATE THURSDAY May 13 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 699,187 (+760)
Deaths: 17,712 (+14)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2786 (+3) Currently Active – 26 (+2)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 (+10).  Active Cases:29 (+11)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,586,136 (+36,021)
Confirmed Deaths – 597,785 (+839)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:161,153,609
Deaths: 3,347,331 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Nearly 200 UMass Students To Be Suspended After Weekend Party
(WWLP)
Drive To Vaccinate Children Gathers Speed In US
(New York Times)
When Can Children Under 12 Get The COVID Vacccine?
(HealthLine)
How Are COVID Vaccines Faring Against The Variants?
(StatNews)
Global COVID Cases Top 160 Million And India Nears 24 Million Cases
(Market Watch)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY May 12 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 698,427 (+555)
Deaths: 17,698 (+0)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2783 (+0) Currently Active – 24 (-3)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2555 (+0).  Active Cases:18 (-1)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,550,115 (+34,807))
Confirmed Deaths – 596,946 (+767)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:160,398,044
Deaths: 3,333,548 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
No New COVID Deaths Were Reported In MA On Tuesday, The First Time In Nearly A Year
(MassLive)
Amherst Health Officials Retain Outdoor Downtown Mask Mandate Into June
(Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Indian Coronavirus Variant Found In 44 Countries
(The Guardian)
How India’s COVID Crisis Became The Worst In The World
(Science News)
This Is How US Officials Are Trying To Rally Teens To Get Vaccinated
(CNN)
COVID Pandemic Was Preventable WHO Commission Says
(The Guardian)
School Reopenings, Mobility, And COVID-19 Spread: Evidence From Texas
(National Bureau of Economic Research)
It’s Time To Reevaluate How We Talk About COVID Risk
(Scientific American)

UPDATE TUESDAY May 11 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 697,872 (+474)
Deaths: 17,698 (+16)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2783 (+13) Currently Active – 27 (-1)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2555 (+0).  Active Cases:19 (-3)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,515,308
Confirmed Deaths – 596,179 (+367)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:159,667,993
Deaths: 3,319,579 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
FDA Authorizes Pfizer Vaccine For Use With People 12-15 Years Of Age
(CNN)
Massachusetts Prepared To Vaccinate Kids 12-15 Baker Says
(WCVB)
WHO Declares Indian Coronavirus Variant A “Variant Of Concern”
(New York Times)

UPDATE MONDAY May 10 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 697,398 (+858)
Deaths: 17,682 (+6)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2770 (+0) Currently Active – 28 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2555 (+13).  Active Cases:22 (+11)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,476,781 (+22,200)
Confirmed Deaths – 595,812 (+224)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:159,036,803
Deaths: 3,308,394 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Massachusetts Loosens More Restrictions Today. Amusement Parks, Road Races And Singing Are Back
(Boston Globe)
Hopes Fade For Global Herd Immunity
(New York Times)
FDA Expected To Authorize Pfizer COVID Vaccine For Adolescents On Wednesday
(NBC News)

UPDATE SUNDAY May 9 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 696,540 (+795)
Deaths: 17,676 (+8)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2770 (+0) Currently Active – 28 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2542 (+0).  Active Cases:11 (-5)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,454,581 (+35,755)
Confirmed Deaths – 595,588 (+677)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:158,403,733
Deaths: 3,298,916 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
604 Students, 65 Staff Members Tested Positive For COVID-19 In MA Schools This Week
(Mass Live)
Schools Are Open But Many Families Remain Hesitant To Return
(New York Times)
States Turning Down Vaccine Doses As US Demand Declines
(The Guardian)
CDC Now Acknowledges Coronavirus Transmission Is Airborne
(CNN)
How Contagious Is The Indian Coronavirus Variant?
(NPR)
The Coronavirus Could Turn Sewage Surveillance Into A Mainstream Public Health Practice
(New York Times)
Breaking Down What COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Means
(Time)
Millions Are Saying No To Vaccines. What Are They Thinking?
(The Atlantic)

UPDATE SATURDAY May 8 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 695,745 (+976)
Deaths: 17,668 (+5)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2770 (+2) Currently Active – 28 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2542 (+3).  Active Cases:16 (+0)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,418,826 (+49,634)
Confirmed Deaths – 594,911 (+905)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:157,636,825
Deaths: 3,286,497 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
India Records Almost 4200 COVID Deaths In Single Day
(The Guardian)
Picture of Two Pandemics: Cases Fall In Rich West As Poorer Countries Suffer
(The Guardian)
How India Descended Into COVID-19 Chaos
(BBC)
Beyond India A Growing Number Of Asian Countries Are Being Ravaged By New COVID Wave
(CNN)
Why The World’s Most Vaccinated Country Is Seeing A Surge In COVID Cases
(Washington Post)
Will COVID Vaccines Protect Against Variants?
(Vox)
CDC May Roll Out Seasonal COVID-19 Boosters Top Protect Against Variants
(CNN)
Here’s What We Know About The Coronavirus Variants
(CNN)

UPDATE FRIDAY May 7 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 694,769 (+1161)
Deaths: 17,663 (+5)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2768 (+5) Currently Active – 28 (+3)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2539 (+0).  Active Cases:16 (-7)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,369,192 (+47,948)
Confirmed Deaths – 594,006 (+858)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:156,784,352
Deaths: 3,272,175 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Massachusetts Still Requires Kids To Wear Masks During Outdoor Sports and Recess. Some Parents Want That To Change
(Boston.com)
Dozens Quarantined After Coronavirus Cases Emerge At South Hadley Middle School
(Daily Hampshire Gazette)
These New England Colleges Are Requiring Vaccination For The Fall
(Boston Globe)
Global Death Count Is Double The Current Estimate New Analysis Shows
(Healthdata.org)
New Study Estimates More Than 900,000 People Have Died Of COVID In US
(NPR)
Forecast Predicts 185 Million People In US Will Be Vaccinated By September But Warns Of Winter Surge
(CNN)
Australia Is Nearly COVID Free
(Time)
What Is Patent Waving And Will It Solve The Global Shortage
(The Guardian)

UPDATE THURSDAY May 6 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 693,608 (+1019)
Deaths: 17,658 (+14)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2763 (+69) Currently Active – 25 (-5)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2539 (+3).  Active Cases:23 (+2)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,321,244 (+46,585)
Confirmed Deaths – 593,148 (+739)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:155,925,909
Deaths: 3,258,339 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Walk-in COVID Vaccines Now Available In Amherst
(Amherst Indy)
India Breaks Another World Record With 412,000 Daily New Cases
(Washington Post)
Biden Backs Waiving Vaccine Patents
(New York Times)
What Is Patent Waiving And What Will It Solve?
(The Guardian)
Two Doses Of Pfizer Vaccine Gives 95% Protection Israeli Study Shows
(The Guardian)
Moderna Says Booster Doses Of Their Vaccine Are Effective
(Time)
Studies Show Vaccines Effective Against UK, South African Coronavirus Variants
(CNN)
Nine Questions About Coronavirus Variants Answered
(Vox)
Vaccinating Teens Could Be The Key To Protecting Us This Fall
(CNN)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY May 5 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 692,589 (+854)
Deaths: 17,644 (+5)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2694 (+0) Currently Active – 30 (-6)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2536 (+0).  Active Cases:21 (-2)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,274,659 (+43,667)
Confirmed Deaths – 592,409 (+895)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:155,071,831
Deaths: 3,243,606 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Charts: See How Vaccinations Are Protecting Older People and Driving Down Massachusetts Coronavirus Numbers
(Boston Globe)
White House Aims For 70% Of Adult Americans To Have At Least One Vaccine Dose By July 4
(Stat News)
Children Now Account For 22% Of New COVID Cases In US
(NPR)
India’s Leaders Hold Large Rallies As Virus Rips Through Country
(CNN)
Infections Surging Among Climbers Trying To Scale Mt. Everest
(New York Times)
Michael Lewis Found The People Who Should Have Been In Charge Of The Pandemic
(Tiime)

UPDATE TUESDAY May 4 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 691,735 (+563)
Deaths: 17,639 (+18)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2694 (+6) Currently Active – 36 (-9)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2536 (+5).  Active Cases:23 (+3)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,230,992 (+50,551)
Confirmed Deaths – 591,514 (+452)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:154,241,017
Deaths: 3,228,632 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:

Massachusetts Set To Close Four Mass Vaccination Sites
(Boston.com)
Massachusetts Reports Lowest Number Of COVID Cases Since October
(WCVB)
100 Million Americans Are Vaccinated As Concerns Grow About The Rest
(New York Times)
Pandemic Is Hitting The Unvaccinated, Young People, Hard
(CNN)
FDA Set To Authorize Pfizer Vaccine For 12-15 Year Olds By Early Next Week
(New York Times)
Don’t Be Blinded By The Light At The End Of The Pandemic Tunnel
(CNN)
Lack Of Herd Immunity Could Lock In The Red State Blue State Divide For A Long Time
(Boston Globe)
India Cracks 20 Million Coronavirus Cases As Infection Spreads
(Washington Post)
Why India’s Outbreak Is A Threat To The World
(New York TImes)
What Scientists Know About The Indian (B-1-617) Variant
(The Scientist)

UPDATE MONDAY May 3 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 691,172 (+893)
Deaths: 17,621 (+4)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2688 (+0) Currently Active – 45 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2531 (+0).  Active Cases:20 (-7)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,180,441 (+34,426)
Confirmed Deaths – 591,062 (+355)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:153,578,200
Deaths: 3,218,196 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Reaching Herd Immunity In The US Is Unlikely Experts Now Believe
(New York Times)
New Coronavirus Cases In India Top 300,000 For Ninth Day In A Row
(CNN)
The Pandemic Is Out Of Control In India. These Quick Interventions Would Help
(Washington Post)
Israel Registers Fewest Number of New COVID Cases In A Year
(Jerusalem Post)
The Countries That Have Fared The Best And The Worst Against COVID-19
(Movehub.com)
The US Is Learning The Wrong Lessons From The Pandemic
(Vox)
COVID-19 Is A Vascular Disease
(SciTech Daily)

UPDATE SUNDAY May 2 as of 7 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 690,279 (+1306)
Deaths: 17,617 (+7)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2688 (+0) Currently Active – 45 (+0)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2531 (+0).  Active Cases:27 (-5)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,146,015 (+42,014)
Confirmed Deaths – 590,707 (+652)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:152,907,113
Deaths: 3,208,543 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Coronavirus Deaths Are Down In The US And Vaccines May Be Responsible
(CNN)
Younger People Make Up Growing Share Of Serious Cases
(NPR)
The World Is In The Midst Of Its Worst COVID Crisis So Far
(CNN)
How Did India’s COVID-19 Crisis Become A Catastrophe?
(Time)
Can Cuba Beat COVID With Its Homegrown Vaccines?
(Nature)
What The Pandemic Experts Got Wrong
(The Atlantic)
Why Do Some People Feel Worse After Their Second COVID Vaccine?
(Boston Globe)
MA High Schools Required To Resume Full-Time In-Person Learning By May 17
(Boston Globe)

UPDATE SATURDAY May 1 as of 8 AM
Confirmed Cases in MA – 688,973 (+1335)
Deaths: 17,610 (+16)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst – 2688 (+2) Currently Active – 45 (+1)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2531 (+9).  Active Cases:32 (+5)
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 33,103,974 (+59,906)
Confirmed Deaths – 590,055 (+785)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide:152,113,721
Deaths: 3,196,379 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
More Than 2.5 Million In Massachusetts Are Now Fully Vaccinated
(WCVB)
Here Are The New Rules For Masks In Massachusetts
(Boston.com)
Global Virus Cases Reach New Peak, Driven By India and South America
(New York Times)
Biden To Restrict Travel From India Amid COVID Surge
(NBC News)
Scientists Say Indian’s Government Ignored Variant Warnings
(Reuters)
Doctors Prescribe Opiates To COVID Long Haulers Raising Addiction Fears
(Los Angeles Times)
Pediatricians Weigh In On What’s Safe and Unsafe For Unvaccinated Children
(NPR)