Caulton-Harris: No Sign Of Springfield COVID-19 Cases Going Down

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM)—New COVID-19 data from the city of Springfield and cases remain on the rise. In two weeks alone, we can see there were more cases in Jan. than in the entire month of Dec.

Last week, the city of Springfield saw more than 2,700 cases. The most ever in a single week. The highest so far this week: 596 cases, Wednesday.

To break down the trend to when it started, the week of Dec. 19, more than 1,100 cases. Week of Dec. 26, that number over 2000 cases. In the first week of Jan.: just under 2,500 cases. Just last week more than 2,700 cases.

Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris said there’s no sign of COVID-19 cases going down.

“Our cases are alarming. There is hope. People are picking up their test kits. And so they’re taking this seriously. We are seeing our residents want to have the home test kits. So, perhaps that’s good news. But the better news would be if people would get vaxed and boosted,” said Caulton-Harris

She said they have run out of at-home COVID-19 test kits at their distribution locations. As for when cases might peak:

“There’s some thought that they will begin to go down the end of Jan., beginning of Feb. It’s difficult though to put a timeline to this because every time we put a timeline it appears that is shattered,” said Caulton-Harris.

Caulton-Harris suspects that cases will continue to go up this week as well. She in-parts cites delayed test results for the high numbers.

All of the cases for this week are not in yet. And the vaccination rate in the city is just over 60 percent.