COVID-19 Weekly Update Archive For The Month Of October, 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 and where reporting to public health officials has all but stopped. It is also not clear whether deaths due to post-COVID complications are incorporated into COVID mortality stats but it would appear that they mostly are not. Hospitalizations figures likely yield a more accurate picture of the state of the ongoing pandemic.

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, March 2022, April 2022, May 2022, June 2022, July 2022, August 2022, September 2022
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Numbers in parentheses indicate increase or decrease in count from previous Wednesday.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, October 26, 2022 as of 8 AM
Massachusetts: As of 9/26/22, the New York Times COVID tracker and COVID ActNow no longer report raw case counts for states and instead report counts/100,000, as well as hospital admission rates and vaccination rates. These are better indicators of the state of the pandemic than raw counts, especially since reporting of cases has become so unreliable, and we’ll be reporting them henceforth. Nonetheless, it’s useful to know that as of 9/21/22 there had been 2,030,335 cases of COIVD recorded in Massachusetts and 21, 588 deaths.

MA newly reported cases /100k. – 121.5 (-8.6). Hospitalizations/ 100k: 11.7 (-3) . Deaths/100,000.: <1 (NC) Fully Vaccinated: 82% (NC ). with booster: 45% (NC) Community risk level: Medium

Amherst: Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –10,355 (+18). Currently Active –21 (-6). 14 day incidence average 7.8 /100,000 (last week, 10.4).

Amherst Public Schools: Amherst Regional Public Schools have not posted new COVID data since June 18, 2022. Total cases, January 1, 2022 – June 18, 2022: 999.

UMass: UMass relaunched its COVID dashboard this week after a hiatus since May 10, 2022
Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – May 10, 2022. – 4607.
New Positive Cases August 28, 2022- October 1 ,2022: 1189
New Positive Cases For the Week October 2– October 8: 56 (-45)
UMass did not post data for the week of October 9-15
New Positive Cases for the week of October 16-22: 35 (-21)

Sources for other Amherst Area Schools and Colleges

USA And The World
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases in USA – 99,159,360 (+251,613)
Confirmed Deaths USA –1,093,486 (+2400)
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 634,039,334 (+3,054,430)
Deaths: 6,586,716 (+12,147)
Source: Worldometers see also: Johns
Hopkins University.

COVID NEWS
So-called Nightmare COVID Variant (XBB) Suspected In Massachusetts
(Boston 25 News)
Most Pediatric Centers Are Seeing A Surge In RSV
(CBS News)
Is The US Facing A “Tripledemic ” Of Flu, RSV And COVID-19 This Winter?
(ABC News)
Here’s How COVID Symptoms Have Changed Over Time and What They Look LIke Now
(Fortune)
Epidemiologist Urges Return To Masking As New COVID Variants Evade Immunity
(CBC)
COVID Increases The Risk For 44 Neurological Disorders Including Alzheimer’s, One Year Post Infection
(WBUR)
People Who Had Mild COVID Had Increased Risk Of Blood Clots British Study Finds
(CNBC)
Nearly Half Of COVID Patients Have Not Fully Recovered Months Later, Study Finds
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
COVID-19 Taskes A Serious Toll On Heart Health, A Full Year After Recovery
(Science)
Heart Disease Risk Soars After COVID, Even With A Mild Case
(Nature)
Long Term Cardiovascular Outcomes Of COVID-19
(Nature)
Mild COVID Linked To Brain Damage. What That Means For You
(CognitiveFx)
Immune System-evading Hybrid Virus Observed For First Time
(The Guardian)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, October 19, 2022 as of 8 AM
Massachusetts: As of 9/26/22, the New York Times COVID tracker and COVID ActNow no longer report raw case counts for states and instead report counts/100,000, as well as hospital admission rates and vaccination rates. These are better indicators of the state of the pandemic than raw counts, especially since reporting of cases has become so unreliable, and we’ll be reporting them henceforth. Nonetheless, it’s useful to know that as of 9/21/22 there had been 2,030,335 cases of COIVD recorded in Massachusetts and 21, 588 deaths.

MA newly reported cases /100k. – 130.1 (-14.1). Hospitalizations/ 100k: 14.7 (+2.1) . Deaths/100,000.: <1 (NC) Fully Vaccinated: 82% (NC ). with booster: 45% (+1%) Community risk level: Medium

Amherst: Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –10,337 (+21). Currently Active –27 (-9). 14 day incidence average 10.4 /100,000 (last week, 17.5).

Amherst Public Schools: Amherst Regional Public Schools have not posted new COVID data since June 18, 2022. Total cases, January 1, 2022 – June 18, 2022: 999.

UMass: UMass relaunched its COVID dashboard this week after a hiatus since May 10, 2022
Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – May 10, 2022. – 4607.
New Positive Cases August 28, 2022- October 1 ,2022: 1189
New Positive Cases For the Week October 2– October 8: 56 (-45)
UMass has not yet posted its update for the week of October 9-15

Sources for other Amherst Area Schools and Colleges

USA And The World
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases in USA – 98,907,747 (+299,316)
Confirmed Deaths USA –1,091,086 (+2615)
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 630,985,004 (+3,007,906)
Deaths: 6,574,569 (+10,470)
Source: Worldometers see also: Johns
Hopkins University.

COVID NEWS
Boston University Lab Did Not Create Deadly New COVID Strain Experts Say
(CBS News)
Inside The Race To Unlock The Mysteries Of Long COVID
(Boston Globe)
Dr. Fauci: Long COVID Is An Insidious Public Health Emergency
(The Guardian)
What You Need To Know About The Latest In Long COVID
(Washington Post)
CDC Authorizes Novavax’s COVID Vaccine As Mix And Match Booster To Pfizer Or Moderna
(CNBC)
As White House Presses For Booster Shots, Americans Are Slow To Get Them
(New York Times)
BQ1.1 Is Among The Most Immune Evasive COVID Variants Yet. It’s Coming In Hot In U.S.
(Fortune)
Dr. Fauci: These Two Fast-spreading COVID Variants Are Pretty Troublesome
(CNBC)
The New COVID Variants That Could Drive A Winter Surge
(Axios)
The Best Things That You Can Do To Squash A Winter COVID Surge
(Vox)
The COVID Data That Are Actually Useful Now
(The Atlantic)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, October 12, 2022 as of 8 AM
Massachusetts: As of 9/26/22, the New York Times COVID tracker and COVID ActNow no longer report raw case counts for states and instead report counts/100,000, as well as hospital admission rates and vaccination rates. These are better indicators of the state of the pandemic than raw counts, especially since reporting of cases has become so unreliable, and we’ll be reporting them henceforth. Nonetheless, it’s useful to know that as of 9/21/22 there had been 2,030,335 cases of COIVD recorded in Massachusetts and 21, 588 deaths.

MA newly reported cases /100k. – 144.2 (-5.8). Hospitalizations/ 100k: 12.6 (-.1) . Deaths/100,000.: .13 (-.01) Fully Vaccinated: 82% (+1%). with booster: 44% Community risk level: Medium

Amherst: Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –10,316 (+25). Currently Active –36 (NC). 14 day incidence average 17.5 /100,000 (last week, 37.3).

Amherst Public Schools: Amherst Regional Public Schools have not posted new COVID data since June 18, 2022. Total cases, January 1, 2022 – June 18, 2022: 999.

UMass: UMass relaunched its COVID dashboard this week after a hiatus since May 10, 2022
Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – May 10, 2022. – 4607.
New Positive Cases August 28, 2022- October 1 ,2022: 1189
New Positive Cases For the Week October 2– October 8: 56 (-45)

Sources for other Amherst Area Schools and Colleges

USA And The World
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases in USA – 98,608,431 (+299,475)
Confirmed Deaths USA –1,088,471 (+3105)
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 627,977,098 (+3,404,127)
Deaths: 6,564,099 (+10,421)
Source: Worldometers see also: Johns
Hopkins University.

COVID NEWS

COVID Levels Rising In Boston Wastewater. Health Officials Urge Boosters, Masks, Tests.
(Boston.com)
COVID-19 Treatment Paxlovid Can Interact With Common Heart Medications, Doctors Warn
(CNN)
FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Booster Shots For Children As Young As Five
(New York Times)
Less Than 4% Of Eligible People Have Gotten Bivalent COVID Booster One Month Into Rollout
(NBC News)
Scientists Pan Florida Surgeon General’s Warning On COVID-19 Vaccines
(ABC News)
Health Experts Urge Americans To Get COVID Booster Before Winter
(PBS)
How Many Times Will You Get COVID?
(The New Yorker)
Tracking The New Sars CoV2 Variants
(World Health Organization)
What Is XBB? The New ‘Immune-evasive’ COVID Strain That Combines Omicron Variants Is Driving Cases In Two Countries
(Fortune)
Strokes, Heart Attacks, Sudden Deaths: Does America Understand The Long-term RIsks Of Catching COVID?
(Fortune)
COVID Increases Risk Of 44 Different Neuro Disorders, Including Alzheimer’s, 1 Year Post-Infection
(WBUR)
The Inadequacy Of The Stories We Tell About The Pandemic. We Need To Be Talking About Race Too
(New York Times)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, October 5, 2022 as of 8 AM
Massachusetts: As of 9/26/22, the New York Times COVID tracker and COVID ActNow no longer report raw case counts for states and instead report counts/100,000, as well as hospital admission rates and vaccination rates. These are better indicators of the state of the pandemic than raw counts, especially since reporting of cases has become so unreliable, and we’ll be reporting them henceforth. Nonetheless, it’s useful to know that as of 9/21/22 there had been 2,030,335 cases of COIVD recorded in Massachusetts and 21, 588 deaths.

MA newly reported cases /100k. – 150 (+1). Hospitalizations/ 100k: 12.7 (+.6) . Deaths/100,000.: .12. Fully Vaccinated: 81%. with booster: 44% Community risk level: Medium

Amherst: Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –10,291 (+33). Currently Active –36 (-33). 14 day incidence average 37.3 /100,000 (last week, 15.6). (numbers in parentheses indicate change from 9/21).

Amherst Public Schools: Amherst Regional Public Schools have not posted new COVID data since June 18, 2022. Total cases, January 1, 2022 – June 18, 2022: 999.

UMass: UMass relaunched its COVID dashboard this week after a hiatus since May 10, 2022
Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – May 10, 2022. – 4607.
Newe Positive Cases August 28, 2022-September 24,2022: 1088
New Positive Cases For the Week September 25 – October 1: 101 (-152)

Sources for other Amherst Area Schools and Colleges

USA And The World
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases in USA – 98,308,956 (+317,462)
Confirmed Deaths USA –1,085,366 (+3080)
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 624,572,971 (+3,166,702)
Deaths: 6,553,678 (+10,362)
Source: Worldometers see also: Johns
Hopkins University.

COVID NEWS
Multiple Massachusetts Colleges Extend Mask Mandates Indefinitely
(New York Post)
Schools Are Significant Sites Of COVID Transmission
(Medscape)
The Mystery Of Why Some People Don’t Get COVID
(Wired)
Scientists Predict COVID Winter Wave
(Nature)
Why Americans Are So Vulnerable To Another COVID Surge
(MSNBC)
These Are The New COVID Variants That Experts Say Could Fuel A Winter Wave
(San Francisco Chronicle)
What To Know About The New COVID Variants Growing Nationwide
(CBS News)
COVID-19 Boosters Could Prevent About 90,000 US Deaths This Winter But Only If People Get Them
(CNN)
What Doctors Still Don’t Understand About Long COVID
(The Atlantic)
Long COVID Could Cost The Economy Trillions, Experts Predict
(Medscape)
The Pandemic’s Legacy Is Already Clear. All Of This Will Happen Again
(The Atlantic)