Westford Coronavirus Positivity Rate On The Decline

WESTFORD, MA — The number of communities designated high risk for the coronavirus continued to fall dramatically in Thursday's town-by-town state data report, as positive test rates fell in more than three-quarters of cities and towns.

Westford stayed in the yellow, or moderate risk, category for the coronavirus, but the town's positive test rate fell from 4.13 percent to 3.87 percent. It's still higher than the state average, but it was one of more than 270 communities where the test rate fell.

The seven-day average positive test rate for the state fell to 2.65 percent, the lowest level since early November. Health officials say positive coronavirus test results need to stay below 5 percent for two weeks or longer and, preferably, be closer to 2 percent, for states to safely ease restrictions.

Statewide case counts, hospitalizations and deaths also all fell over the past week. In Westford, the total number of people who have tested positive for the virus is 1,012, as of Feb. 11, according to state data, including 78 who tested positive during the past two weeks.

The decline comes as those who are 75 years old and older were allowed one companion —of any age— to accompany them to their appointment and get vaccinated themselves if they register for an appointment.

Gov. Charlie Baker said as of Thursday that the state will have distributed more than 1 million vaccination shots over the past two months of the rollout.