A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update

The Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Cambridge COVID-19 UPDATE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Case Snapshot (as of September 12, 2021) Sources: 1Cambridge Public Health Department data, accessed on Sept. 12, 2021 @ 5 pm; 2Massachusetts Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Interactive Dashboard, Sept. 10, 2021. 7,049 Total Cases1 (confirmed, probable and suspect) ● 6,760 in the community ● 304 cases in long-term care 124 Deaths1 ● 61% of deaths were among LTC residents Active Cases1 ● 332 cases are active 12.1 Confirmed Cases per 100,0001 (7-day average for Sept. 6–12) Test Positivity2 ● 0.53% (2-week period ending Sept. 4) 2

Community Testing in Cambridge 3 ●As of Sept. 8, the city is offering COVID-19 testing 4 days a week in 4-hour sessions. ●As Cambridge infection rates rose in mid-July, demand for testing sharply increased at city-run sites. ●Over 12,400 tests were administered in August at city-run sites, the highest monthly total since April. ●City-run testing sites are currently administering about 1,000 tests a session. ●Residents can also get tested at local pharmacies and other sites. More info: www.cambridgema.gov/covid19/Testing

CPS School-Based Testing The CPS school-based testing program is designed to detect infections early and minimize transmission: ●Routine COVID safety checks (formerly known as pooled testing) available for students, employees, and programs operating in CPS buildings. ●Symptomatic testing offered on-site for students and adults who develop symptoms while at school. ●“Test and Stay” is offered to unvaccinated close contacts from an in school exposure (daily rapid testing for 5 days for unvaccinated people who may have been exposed to the virus to avoid unnecessary quarantines) 4

Flu and COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics ●CPHD will offer free flu shots at homeless shelters, meals programs, and senior housing in October. ●Public flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be held at sites throughout the city: 5 Oct. 15 Citywide Senior Center 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Oct. 16 King Open School 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 22 Reservoir Church 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. Oct. 23 Pisani Center/Washington Elms 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Vaccine Update 6 68% Fully vaccinated Cambridge residents 75% Cambridge residents who have received at least one dose of vaccine. 76,194 Residents Are fully vaccinated ↑9% over past 3 months Booster shots: CPHD has notified the state of its interest in administering Pfizer and Moderna booster vaccines once they are recommended by the CDC. available.

7 City Vaccine Update (as of September 7) Vaccination Race/Ethnicity Data The proportion of residents by race and ethnicity who have received at least one dose of vaccine in Cambridge and the state: ¹MA Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Municipality Vaccination Report, September 9, 2021.² MA Department of Public Health Weekly Vaccine Report, September 9, 2021. Data for Cambridge and Massachusetts are current as of September 7, 2021. Race/Ethnicity Cambridge1 MA2 Asian 69% 71% Black 76% 58% Hispanic/Latinx 65% 56% Multiracial 68% 93% White 67% 68% Other/Unknown +8% of population +6% of population Total % of all residents who have received at least one dose 75% 72%

City Vaccine Update (as of September 7) Vaccination Age and Gender Data 8 Proportion of residents who have received at least one dose of vaccine: MA Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Municipality Vaccination Report, September 9, 2021.² MA Department of Public Health Weekly Vaccine Report, September 9, 2021. Data for Cambridge and Massachusetts are current as of September 7, 2021. Cambridge1 MA2 12-15 Years 92% 70% 16-19 Years 55% 70% 20-29 Years 72% 71% 30-49 Years 85% 83% 50-64 Years >95% 88% 65-74 Years >95% 95% 75+ Years >95% 93% Female 75% N/A Male 74% N/A

Wastewater Surveillance ●Four additional wastewater sampling locations will come online in September. ○ Sites include multiple residential buildings disportionately impacted by COVID-19, and a representative long-term care facility. ●By monitoring these targeted locations, CPHD and City partners: ○ Can respond quickly when higher levels of virus are detected in the wastewater from these sites, and reach out to those impacted to prevent further transmission. ○ Assess if spikes at these sites are early indicators of increased risk citywide. 9