Coronavirus in Massachusetts (cancer, neighbors, facilities)

[NewfieMama]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

They shouldn't be counting the antibody tests as "positive." Is it the local public health authority that's doing this? I thought the official numbers come from local public health on up to state and then national stats.

My town/county/state isn't counting antibody tests at this point except for an experimental assessment privately funded in the affluent ski resort town 34 miles away. They released those numbers to apprise people of the results but it didn't go to any formal accounting that I know about.

It's the Board of Health who is doing it. Once you get your positive antibody test, the Board of Health calls and asks questions about 1.) what symptoms you had, if any and 2.) the dates you experienced the symptoms, if you had them. Then they inform you that the positive test would be counted toward your town's positive COVID case numbers and that's it.

[NewfieMama]

Originally Posted by redplum33

I don't agree. I think they should be counted. It means the person had the virus, correct? So why wouldn't you count it? Just because they weren't originally tested for the virus?

Newfie, you said it's misleading because they're not active cases. I'm quite sure that people who test positive aren't removed from the total after they recover. They wouldn't be active cases either.

I think it should be counted separately. Our town's numbers increased over the weekend, but as it turns out, many of these are antibody tests. So I think by bucketing all tests into one category as antibody tests become more available can be misleading. It could look like cases in your town are increasing when we are just finding out about cases that are no longer active. Still very important information, but can be confusing when not broken out.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by NewfieMama

It's the Board of Health who is doing it. Once you get your positive antibody test, the Board of Health calls and asks questions about 1.) what symptoms you had, if any and 2.) the dates you experienced the symptoms, if you had them. Then they inform you that the positive test would be counted toward your town's positive COVID case numbers and that's it.

Sounds downright incorrect for reporting requirement by the BOH.

[sawyer2]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Sounds downright incorrect for reporting requirement by the BOH.

Curious why you would not include positive antibody results in the count - assuming from a reputable/approved assay of course.

EDIT - although, i suppose if using the numbers to track if case numbers are increasing or not, this would artificially amplify it. On the other hand we know that the PCR assays are very much undercounting total cases. Perhaps we need to report both but differentiate?

[charolastra00]

Another good day in terms of numbers. Positive tests up a bit from yesterday's 1000/10% to 1184/13% positive. That's still lower than our average had been last week. Hospitalizations are up a few from yesterday, but we had 3 consecutive days of lower hospitalizations (including a bit drop yesterday). Based on glancing through the hospitalizations by hospital, it seems like Boston is going down much faster than Worcester and some other areas.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by sawyer2

Curious why you would not include positive antibody results in the count - assuming from a reputable/approved assay of course.

EDIT - although, i suppose if using the numbers to track if case numbers are increasing or not, this would artificially amplify it. On the other hand we know that the PCR assays are very much undercounting total cases. Perhaps we need to report both but differentiate?

At present, no antibody test is particularly accurate, including those few rushed through by the FDA- they haven't gone through the vetting process that usually takes place

I agree that they should be differentiated, for sure.

[wror]

The newest, obnoxious , 'fad' that i kept reading about at online Massachusetts news sites are Mass people 'holding parades' in communities. A group of Mass people driving up and down community roads,residential streets, beeping their horns,being noisy and obnoxious, blab,blab,blab.

First it was 'healthcare worker appreciation ' parades.
But Now i keep reading over and over Mass people are having 'birthday parades' in Mass communities. 'Teacher appreciation' parades. Ok, appreciate them, but stop being obnoxious by holding a parade and driving up and down streets like clowns.
I read this morning about how in one Mass community,a teen is going off to bootcamp. Ok, thanks,going in the military. But did wahoo family members and others have to conduct a horn-beeping parade in town.

[bizcuit]

Originally Posted by wror

The newest, obnoxious , 'fad' that i kept reading about at online Massachusetts news sites are Mass people 'holding parades' in communities. A group of Mass people driving up and down community roads,residential streets, beeping their horns,being noisy and obnoxious, blab,blab,blab.

First it was 'healthcare worker appreciation ' parades.
But Now i keep reading over and over Mass people are having 'birthday parades' in Mass communities. 'Teacher appreciation' parades. Ok, appreciate them, but stop being obnoxious by holding a parade and driving up and down streets like clowns.
I read this morning about how in one Mass community,a teen is going off to bootcamp. Ok, thanks,going in the military. But did wahoo family members and others have to conduct a horn-beeping parade in town.

Why do you care? You don't even live here.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by bizcuit

Why do you care? You don't even live here.

Apparently they've also missed how bday parades are nation wide in areas where people are respecting social distancing.

[wror]

Originally Posted by bizcuit

Why do you care? You don't even live here.

Reminds me of one reason i left. Insidiously,obnoxious Mass. people.
People are cooped up inside---they dont want a bunch of obnoxious yahoos driving up and down the street beeping their horns under the disguise of ' a parade'.