SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – COVID-19 cases in Springfield more than doubled over the past two weeks. This data comes on the heels of a mask advisory the city issued last week.
Two weeks ago, the city reported 250 COVID-19 cases. Fast forward 14 days and it’s 522 cases reported.
“We’re going to continue to see these numbers go up and it’s really up to us whether or not we protect each other,” said Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris.
Caulton-Harris is advising people to protect each other when it comes to the spread of COVID-19.
For the week of March 27, the city saw 115 positive cases. For the week of April 17, there were 250 cases and now, just last week, there were 522 cases.
The city of Springfield just reissued a mask advisory last week for those most at-risk. Western Mass News is getting answers and asked Caulton-Harris with cases still on the rise, is a mask mandate off the table?
“Should we get to a point where we’re where we seeing our cases really explode beyond what we’re seeing right now, then certainly we want to consider,” Caulton-Harris explained.
One Springfield resident reacted Tuesday to the rise in cases.
“I think it’s because people are out and about. I really do. You see I don’t have a mask on. People aren’t wearing them when they’re sick,” said Susan Jensen of Springfield.
Jensen told us she believes cases are rising in part because of changes in some workplace protocols, like eliminating special covid-related sick time.
“Employers because they’re not giving the proper time off and paying people, that people are going to go to work sick, and that’s how it’s going to spread even more,” Jensen added.
Springfield Public Schools is also seeing a rise in cases.
“Just as the numbers are trending upwards in the city, we’re seeing the same thing in schools…There were 95 positive COVID cases reported. That’s up from 44 the week before,” said Springfield Public Schools spokesperson Azell Cavaan.
We asked Cavaan about any particular schools affected more than others.
“We’ve never had in any school a case where it’s like bam, one day you’re seeing a big cluster of students or students all come down with COVID at the same time,” Cavaan explained.
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