The state reported no new COVID-19 cases in Harvard for the week ending Sept. 30. The town’s cumulative number of confirmed cases remains at 186. Harvard Public Schools reported five students were in quarantine for COVID-19 for the week beginning Oct. 4.
According to the state’s weekly vaccination report, 4,039 residents in Harvard were fully vaccinated as of Sept. 30, up by 15 since Sept. 23. Another 333 had received one dose of a two-dose vaccine, seven more than on Sept. 23. Using the town clerk’s July 15 population data, the percentage of Harvard residents eligible for the vaccine (12 or older) and fully vaccinated as of Sept. 30 remained at about 80%. Another 7% were partially vaccinated. These numbers do not include Devens residents or inmates at its Federal Medical Center.
Statewide, between Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 8,944, down from the previous week’s increase of 12,248. There were 103 COVID-related deaths that same week, down from 121 the week before. As of Oct. 5, 584 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 statewide, down from 643 a week earlier; 166 patients were in ICUs, three fewer than the previous week.
On Oct. 5 the Bureau of Prisons website reported two more inmates at the Federal Medical Center in Devens had died of COVID-19, one on Sept. 30 and one on Oct. 5. No further details were available. This brings the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 at the facility to 13. There were no active cases among inmates as of Oct. 5 and seven active cases among staff. As of Oct. 5, 782 of the facility’s inmates had been fully vaccinated, as had 357 staff members.
