COVID-19 Weekly Archive For The Month Of March 2022

by Art and Maura Keene

As Of Monday, May 24, 2021 The Indy’s COVID-19 Daily Update became the COVID-19 Weekly Update. As of Wednesday July 14 ,2021 the Weekly Update moved to Wednesdays. Each Wednesday we 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 and death count is a substantial underestimate of the actual number of cases and deaths.  This underestimate is thought to be especially extreme under current conditions where the availability of testing and tracking have been greatly reduced.

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, May 21, June 21, July 21, August 21, September 21, October 21, November 21, December 21, January 22, February 22
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Henceforth, numbers in parentheses will indicate increase or decrease in count from previous Wednesday.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY March 30, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,695,750 (+12,526) Total Deaths: 20,097 (+21 ) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7836 (+61 ) Currently Active – 69 (+33) 14 day incidence average 19.3/ 100,000 (last week, 37.6 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3662 (+39)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. New cases for March 2022:52 (11 cases were reported before elimination of the mask mandate on 3/11 and 41 after). New cases for April 2022: 1. Total Since January 1, 2022: 608
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 81,686,628 (+210,359)
Confirmed Deaths – 1,005,056 (+7,382)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 486,098,063
Deaths: 6,58,827 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Massachusetts Case Numbers, Coronavirus Levels In Waste Water, Tick Up
(Boston Globe)
Was Omicron More Deadly Than It Needed To Be In Massachusetts? Some Experts Say Yes
(WBUR)
The Pandemic’s True Death Toll
(The Economist)
The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Been Deadlier In Red States
(Axios)
BA-2 Is Now The Dominant Sub-variant In The US
(QZ)
What We Know About The BA-2 Variant, Now The Dominant Cause Of COVID-19 In The US
(CNN)
How The End Of COVID Funding Could Affect You
(Healthline)
Cuts To COVID Testing, Treatment And Vaccination Worry Health Care Leaders
(Boston Globe)
COVID Cases Are Up In NYC Schools Following End To Mask Mandate
(New York Times)
This California University Unified Town And Gown To Fight COVID – Why Haven’t Others?
(Sacremento Bee)
Why Is The UK Still Seeing Near Record COVID Cases
(The Guardian)
China At A COVID Tipping Point
(Medriva)
Who Is Eligible For A Second COVID Booster And When To Get Them
(CNN)
Why Kids’ COVID Vaccine Results Don’t Look Like Adults’
(The Atlantic)
COVID And Indoor Air Quality. New White House Study Tackles Indoor Air Quality Improvements
(Forbes)
Long COVID: Even Mild COVID Cases Linked To Brain Damage Scans Show
(NBC News)
It’s Not Too Late For New COVID Drugs To Change The Pandemic
(Vox)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY March 23, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,683,224 (+5,310) Total Deaths: 20,056 (+79) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7775 (-9 ) Currently Active – 36 (-58) 14 day incidence average 37.6/ 100,000 (last week, 59.1 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3623 (+40)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. No data posted for March 2022.
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 81,476,269 (+228,962)
Confirmed Deaths – 999,792 (+5,264)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 474,925,319
Deaths: 6,124,115 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Massachusetts Reports 1,109 New COVID Cases. Positivity Rate Back Over 2%
(CBS Boston)
BA-2 Variant Accounts For Over 50% Of Cases In New England
(NBC Boston)
Moderna Says Its COVID Vaccine Works As Well In Children As It Does In Adults
(CNN)
Moderna Will Seek Emergency Authorization Of Its Vaccine For Young Children
(New York Times)
COVID-19 Infection Increases Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
(ABC News)
Italian Study Shows That Improved Ventilation Can Cut COVID Infections In Schools By 82%
(Reuters)
Yale Epidemiologist: The Pandemic Is Not Over
(Boston.com)
Seriously, The Pandemic Isn’t Over
(New York Magazine)
How The Next Pandemic Surge Will Be Different
(Vox)
The Biden Administration Killed America’s Collective Pandemic Approach
(The Atlantic)
The Coronavirus Funding Collapse Is A Disaster
(The Atlantic)
What Americans Really Think About The Pandemic
(The Atlantic)
One Factor That Predicts Which Countries Best Survive COVID
(The Guardian)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY March 16, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,683,224 (+4,977)
Total Deaths: 19,977 (-3491) (MA revised their COVID death counts last week removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7784 (+70 ) Currently Active – 94 (-65) 14 day incidence average 59.1/ 100,000 (last week, 94.1 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3583 (+41)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. No data posted for March 2022.
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 81,247,343 (+234,388)
Confirmed Deaths – 992,410 (+4,795)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 462,841,310
Deaths: 6,076,540 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
State To Close Testing Sites In Amherst, Holyoke
(Daily Hampshire Gazette)
MA Will Drop 3700 From State’s COVID Death Counts
(Commonwealth Magazine)
WHO: Global COVID Deaths Fell 17% Last Week But New Case Counts Rising
(ABC News)
Here’s What We Know So Far About The Omicron BA-2 Variant
(New York TImes)
Omicron BA-2 Strain’s Rise In Europe Offers Clues For US
(HuffPost)
What Rising COVID-19 Case Counts In Europe Could Mean For the US
(CNN)
COVID Surge In Western Europe Has US Experts Bracing For Another Wave
(Washington Post)
Another COVID Surge Expected Soon In US
(Business Insider)
Omicron BA-2 Subvariant Now A Quarter Of New Cases In US
(CBS News)
China Battles Multiple Outbreaks Driven By Stealth Omicron
(HuffPost)
How Hong Kong Went From Zero-COVID To The World’s Highest Death Rate
(NBC News)
China At A COVID Tipping Point
(medriva.com)
Previously Unknown COVID Variant Discovered In Israel
(Jerusalem Post)
Second Gentleman Doug Imhoff Tests Positive For COVID
(CNN)
What You Need To Know About A Fourth COVID Vaccine Dose
(Time)
The Biden Administration Turns Its Back On The Pandemic
(The Nation)
Two Years Of COVID. New Study Reveals A Harsh Toll On Young Families Of Color In Massachusetts
(Boston Globe)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY March 9, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,678,247 (+,5,653)
Total Deaths: 23,679 (+191)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7714 (+111 ) Currently Active – 159 (-97) 14 day incidence average 94.1/ 100,000 (last week, 150.8 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3542 (+64)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. No data posted for March 2022.
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 81,012,955 (+315,031))
Confirmed Deaths – 987,615 (+10,213)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 450,256,356
Deaths: 6,038,331 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Americans Can Now Order Four More Free At-Home COVID Tests
(CNN)
Biden’s New Covid Plan. Planning For New Variants And Avoiding Shutdowns
(New York Times)
New York Lifts COVID Mandates Despite Concerns
(New York Times)
Omicron Subvariant (BA-2) Is Doubling In New York Just As Mandates Lift
(Gothamist)
What Will The Next COVID Variant Look LIke?
(The Atlantic)
The Next Variant. Three Key Questions About What’s After Omicron
(Nature)
Mask Mandates Go Away In Schools But Parents’ Worries Persist
(ABC News)
What’s Holding Up COVID Vaccines For Young Children?
(ProPublica)
Florida Officials Face Pushback Over Decision To Advise Children To Not Get COVID Vaccination
(ABC News)
COVID May Causes Changes In The Brain, New Study Finds
(New York Times)
Will One Way Masking Protect You From COVID In Public Spaces?
(NPR)
How Did This Many Deaths Become Normal?
(The Atlantic)
The Long Strange History Of Anti-Vaccination Movements
(Vox)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY March 2, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,672,594 (+7,008)
Total Deaths: 23,488 (+331)
Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7603 (+234 ) Currently Active – 256 (-98) 14 day incidence average 150.8/ 100,000 (last week, 150.1 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3478 (+156)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 80,697,924 (+427,361)
Confirmed Deaths – 977,402 (+14,031)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 439,514,557
Deaths: 5,987,361 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Stealth Omicron BA-2 Variant. What To Know About New Symptoms
(MassLive)
White House Unveils New COVID Strategy Including “Test To Treat”
(The Guardian)
COVID Cases, Deaths, Continue To Fall Globally
(ABC News)
CDC Estimates 140 Million Americans Have Had COVID-19
(CNN)
Americans Can Order Another Round Of Free COVID-19 Tests Next Week
(CNN)
As CDC Shifts On Masking Guidance, Americans Are Split On Path Forward
(CNN)
Pushing Back Against The CDC’s Easing Of COVID Rules
(New York Times)
Intense Debate About When COVID Restrictions In Schools Should End
(Scientific American)
In Cuba, Most Children Aged Two And Up Are Vaccinated Against COVID-19
(NBC News)
How Often Will We Need To Get COVID Vaccines?
(The Atlantic)
The Biden Administration Killed America’s Collective Pandemic Approach
(The Atlantic)
How Long COVID Sheds Light On Other Mysterious Illnesses
(NPR)
Nerve Damage May Explain Some Cases Of Long COVID
(Reuters)
Young People With Long COVID Share Their Experiences
(Teen Vogue)