Falmouth's Low COVID-19 Numbers Rise As MA Sees Rebound

FALMOUTH, MA — It appeared as if COVID-19 had bottomed out, not just here but across Massachusetts.

But COVID-19 is back, and while the pandemic's darkest days are still far behind us, there are shades of 2020 beginning to emerge.

Falmouth's low numbers have stayed that way, although they are starting to trend in the wrong direction. There have only been 13 reported cases in town in the last two weeks, but that's up from the less than five cases the state Department of Public Health showed in last week's report. The 14-day positive test rate also rose from 0.42 to 1.43 percent. The average daily incidence rate rose from 0.7 to 3.

Massachusetts reported 477 cases yesterday — the highest since before Gov. Charlie Baker replaced the mask mandate with an advisory.

Cambridge yesterday joined Provincetown and Nantucket in re-issuing mask advisories amid an uptick in cases.

There is no indication Falmouth is considering a mask advisory. Scott McGann, the town's health agent, said town health officials are monitoring the COVID-19 situation daily.

"As the situation evolves, the BoH (board of health) and I will need to look at our COVID data and make decisions accordingly," McGann said.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday the state isn't planning on changing any COVID rules.

Seventy-six percent of Falmouth residents have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

While "breakthrough" cases are still happening — more than 40 percent of Cambridge's confirmed cases this month were of fully vaccinated people — severe cases are almost exclusively happening to people who are unvaccinated.