BREAKING: As COVID levels rise in Massachusetts, Worcester officials are now 'strongly encouraging' people in the city to wear masks in indoor public places.
, which health officials say appears to be up to 27% more contagious than BA.2. However, there is no data to indicate it causes more serious illness.regional wastewater dataHalf of the state's 14 counties are now considered a high risk for community transmission of COVID-19.
But the announcement also sounded an optimistic note, suggesting that the current surge might be ending soon:"Despite the current trend in Worcester, health officials are encouraged by the current Omicron subvariant’s status in the United Kingdom, which has tracked several weeks ahead of the United States. Cases there have rapidly dropped since a peak in late March/early April."
Worcester's announcement fell short of a mask mandate, though city hospitals do still require face coverings. "While the days of mask mandates are hopefully behind us, we should make a risk assessment for ourselves to determine whether masks are appropriate," the heads of the city health department, UMass Memorial Health and Saint Vincent Hospital said in a statement."We strongly urge that getting vaccinated not be viewed as optional, but as an important and effective public health remedy that will keep these subvariants from continuing to mutate and cause a surge in cases.
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