Top COVID-19 News

^{Amid the pandemic, news is fast-moving – and sometimes confusing. Coverage is here to help. Our new series provides a clear, fact-based digest of the top news for health consumers.}

All Mass. residents eligible for vaccination starting April 19

Vaccination appointments are rapidly opening to more people across the country, including in Massachusetts, where nearly 1 million have been fully vaccinated. As of March 22, Bay State residents 60 and over, as well as public-facing workers including transit and grocery store employees, are eligible to receive shots. Starting April 5, appointments will open to residents 55 and over along with people who have one of the listed health conditions. All residents 16 and older will be eligible starting April 19. However, supply is expected to continue to significantly outpace demand for several weeks until manufacturing ramps up.

How can you sign up? All residents can preregister, and those who are eligible to get vaccinated can book an appointment at a range of sites. The administration plans to open more sites in coming weeks.

Vaccine development update

The U.S. has ordered enough vaccine from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson to vaccinate every American, President Biden said, in an indication that vaccines from other companies will not be needed domestically. This week, federal health officials asked a fourth manufacturer, AstraZeneca, to review its clinical trial data to ensure it is up to date, after the company reported strong results.

What's next? Moderna, whose vaccine is currently authorized for ages 18 and up, announced that the first children received shots in a trial in kids ranging from 6 months to 12 years old, starting with older participants. Moderna and Pfizer, whose vaccine is authorized for people 16 and up, both have ongoing trials in adolescents as young as 12 years old that are expected to report results soon. Johnson & Johnson, whose vaccine is authorized for adults 18 and up, intends to test its vaccine in two trials, one in children aged 12 to 18 years and from birth to 18 years old.

New CDC school distancing guidance

Students attending school in person only need to stay 3 or more feet apart, rather than 6, as long as universal masking is maintained, the Centers for Disease Control said. However, middle school and high school students should stay at least 6 feet apart in communities where test positivity rates are 10% or higher if it is not possible to keep groups of students together with the same staff throughout the day.

Reopening in Massachusetts

Travelers to Massachusetts are no longer required to have a negative COVID test or fill out a travel form. They are still encouraged to quarantine for 10 days after arriving, but there are no fines associated with the guidance. Travelers who are fully vaccinated are exempt from all requirements. The state also is allowing stadiums to reopen at 12% capacity and increasing venue limits to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors. (Outdoor gatherings in private backyards remain limited to 25, with indoor house gatherings limited to 10.) Overnight summer camps will be allowed to open in the coming months.

Why are restrictions loosening? Hospitalizations have dropped by 20% and deaths dropped by 24% since March 1, metrics public health officials use to determine reopening.

An uptick in COVID rates

New coronavirus infections are rising in several U.S. states despite an increased rate of vaccinations, an increase largely attributed to the continued spread of more transmissible variants and loosened restrictions. In Massachusetts, the state’s seven-day weighted average of positive COVID-19 tests inched to 2% for the first time in a month. The state also saw a small increase in the communities listed as higher-risk – 20, up from 14 out of 351.

What does this mean for Bay Staters? The three variants of concern are all present in Massachusetts, and it remains important to practice social distancing, masking and thorough hand hygiene.