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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Baystate Health announced on Monday masks will be required as COVID-19 cases are expected to increase.
Baystate Health decided to move to its “yellow tier” due to a steady trend of increasing COVID-19 cases based on community testing and wastewater surveillance data. Since Baystate Health expects this trend to continue, masks will be required for direct patient care at all Baystate Health Hospitals and the D’Amour Center for Cancer Care beginning Monday.
Care partners and other visitors over five years old will also be required to wear a mask. Masking is recommended in other ambulatory settings, such as Baystate Medical Practices offices, and non-patient care locations.
Wastewater testing report data is released every Thursday on mass.gov. In western Massachusetts, the following communities have wastewater surveillance:
- Agawam
- Amherst
- Dalton
- Deerfield
- East Longmeadow
- Gill
- Granby
- Greenfield
- Hadley
- Hinsdale
- Lanesborough
- Lenox
- Longmeadow
- Ludlow
- Montague
- Northampton
- Pittsfield
- Richmond
- South Hadley
- Springfield
- Sunderland
- West Springfield
- Wilbraham
- Williamsburg
According to Mass.gov, from August 4th through August 10th, there were 2,218 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 700 probable COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts. There were also 17 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 during that same week. However, during the week of July 28th and August 3rd, there were 3,083 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, with 15 confirmed and probable deaths.
Even though there were reportedly fewer cases last week, there is a slight increase in the death numbers related to COVID-19.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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Emma McCorkindale
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