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

The Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Cambridge COVID-19 WEEKLY REPORT CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Case Snapshot (as of Jan. 31) New Infections in Cambridge have declined since early January when rates reached their highest point in the pandemic. However, infection rates remain high and near peak levels. 4,319 Total Cases1 (confirmed, probable and suspect) • 4,017 in the community Active 302 cases in long-term cares 991 people (22.9%) 114 Deaths' • 66% of deaths were among LTC residents Recovered 2369 people (54.9%) Active Cases1 23% of all cases are active Unknown 22.3 Confirmed Cases per 100,0001 845 people (19.6%) (7-day average for Jan. 24-Jan 30) Death 114 people (2.6%). Test Positivity 1.31% (2-week period ending Jan. 23) 2 Sources: 'City of Cambridge COVID-19 Data Center, downloaded on 1/31/21 at 5pm; Massachusetts Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Report.

COVID-19 Community Testing Community Testing - Total Tests per Month 40000 30000 31595 26327 20000 17468 10000 Total Tests 2811 2040 4811 4144 Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Testing - Testing - Testing - Testing - Testing - Testing - Testing - Oct 1 to Dec 1 to Nov 1 to Jan 2 to Aug 1 to Sep 1 to July 1 to 31 Jan 31 Dec 30 Nov 30 Oct 31 Sep 25 Aug 31 Date 3

COVID-19 Vaccine Update COVID-19 Vaccination in MA: Phase 1 & 2 Eligibility Status • • • • • • ... .. Phase 1 All phase 1 priority groups All Eligible Eligible 2/1 Individuals age 75+ Phase 2 Not yet eligible 2 Individuals 65+ and individuals with 2+ comorbidities Early education and K-12 workers, transit, Not yet eligible grocery, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works, and public health workers Not yet eligible Individuals with 1 comorbidity 4

State COVID-19 Vaccine Update • Massachusetts and the nation are experiencing a severe vaccine shortage. moderna Moderna Moderna • The state is "triaging" its limited COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine supply: greater Vaccine Vaccine Suspension for Intramuscular injection Suspension for Intramuscular Injection allocations going to regional 10 multiple-dose vials (each vial contains 10 multiple-dose vials (each vial contains 10 doses of 0.5 mL) 10 doses of 0.5 mL) mass vaccination sites; smaller allocations to cities towns. Photograph: Michael Holahan/AP • The state is "capping" vaccines requests from local health departments at 100 doses a week through February. • As of Jan. 27, MA providers had administered 523,721 doses, which was 67% of the state's vaccine supply. As Cambridge Public Health of early last week, the state had distributed 98% Department 5 of its vaccine supply.

City Vaccine Update - Phase 1 The Cambridge Pandemic Collaborative (CPC), led by Public Health, Fire, Police and Pro EMS, vaccinated 1,231 people in Phase 1 groups: • First Responders: 909 Phase 1 eligible people were vaccinated I GOT I GOT from Jan. 11-15 at MY COVID-19 MY COVID-19 VACCINE! VACCINE! CambridgeSide; predominantly first responders. • People Experiencing Homelessness: 322 clients/staff of homeless shelters and meals programs were vaccinated. Cambridge Public Health Department 6

City Vaccine Update - Phase 2 Cambridge Public Health Department vaccination plans: • Priority Group 1: People age 75 and older: If/until CPHD receives a greater vaccination allocation, residents age 75+ will receive vaccine through their medical providers, pharmacies, or mass vax sites. • Priority Group 2: People age 65+ and those with 2 comorbidities. See bullet above. • Priority Group 2: Residents and staff of low income and affordable senior housing. CPHD is working with the state so that the CPC will be able to offer on-site vaccination clinics at eligible senior housing complexes. Cambridge Public Health Department + 7

Vaccine Outreach - Phase 2 Outreach to Senior Housing Residents • The Cambridge Community Corps (C3) will be going to all senior buildings to gather information for registration; CPHD will enter the information on day of vaccination so seniors won't have to call/go online. • C3 members will also inquire about seniors' interest in being vaccinated, hesitancy, and other needs and concerns. • Begin February 1 at Manning Apartments; February 2 at Miller's River. • Onsite vaccination of residents on February 4 and 5. Phase 2 Planning • CPHD has capacity to vaccinate 500 people/day based on the experience with the first responder clinics. 8

Vaccinating CPS Staff and Teachers • Teachers are eligible to be vaccinated in the third priority group of Phase 2. • CPHD is advocating for additional vaccine supply in order to set up a CPS staff vaccination clinic. • If CPHD does not receive this vaccine supply, CPHD teachers and staff will be eligible to sign up online and travel to one of the designated mass vaccination sites or participating pharmacies. • Should the state provide us with the supply needed, we would be in a position to vaccinate the ~3,000 staff and teachers at CPS. Cambridge Public Health Department 9

COVID Vaccine Communication • Daily communications via City website/daily emails, social media is ongoing. • FAQs: Easy-to-read vaccine FAQs have been developed and shared in the following ways: • Used to respond to resident inquiries. • Used in CPHD staff's day-to-day work in community. • Interviews with community members and community leaders are in process and will inform vaccine messaging. • Town Hall series is under development. Cambridge Public Health Department + 10

COVID-19 Testing in K-12 Schools CPS staff are being tested twice a week, on a voluntary basis, as part of a CPHD surveillance program. Testing is also offered to symptomatic students who become ill at school and student athletes. 11X 13,091 Tests Tests administered to CPS Median number of times a CPS staff staff through the voluntary member has gotten tested through testing program since Oct. 15 the program since Oct. 15 300 students 1,182 Staff Tested Symptomatic CPS students and Total # of CPS staff who have been student athletes who have tested through the voluntary been tested through the testing program since Oct. 15 program since Oct. 15 Cambridge Public Health Department + Data reflect Oct. 15- Jan. 31 12

COVID-19 Variants • As of Feb. 2, five travel-associated cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (which emerged in the U.K.), have been discovered in MA. • According to our state health partners, there is no evidence of widespread community transmission of the B.1.1.7 variant in MA at this time. • Two other variants of concern—the P.1 variant (which emerged in Brazil) and B.1.351 (which emerged in South Africa) —have been detected in the U.S., but not in Massachusetts to date. • With the recent arrival of more transmissible variants in the U.S., genetic analysis has been ramping up in MA. • According to our state partners, the Broad Institute is planning to scale up to do 1,000 samples a week. Other labs involved in this statewide effort are the State Public Health Laboratory, LabCorp, Quest, and academic labs. Cambridge Public Health Department + 12

Wastewater Surveillance Update • Nine weeks of data indicate Cambridge wastewater counts are consistently lower than comparable regional MWRA counts • Helps to validate the many efforts and individual acts of caution that the Cambridge community and administration have taken during the pandemic. • EAP examines the results and trends from these data at each meeting and has observed some predictive value. • We expect that early signs of a new spike in transmission, after a period of low transmission, will be seen in these data. Cambridge Public Health Department 13