Cases continue to decrease in Easthampton, and have dropped in Hampshire and Hampden counties. The decrease in rates can be explained by the return to risk prevention strategies in many locations, but there is also much we don't understand about when the virus peaks. I hope we have passed the peak and we see sustained significant decreases before any potential holiday surge.
We are finding that symptoms of infection with the delta variant are different from classic COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough and loss of taste and smell. Among folks who are fully vaccinated, the most common symptoms of a delta COVID-19 infection are headache, runny nose, sore throat, and sneezing. Loss of smell is still one of the top five most common symptoms for vaccinated folks, but less common than symptoms of essentially a common cold or allergies. Among unvaccinated folks, the five most common symptoms of a delta COVID-19 infection are headache, sore throat, runny nose, fever, and cough. The bottom line is that symptoms of delta COVID-19 resemble a cold, flu and allergies. Anyone experiencing the symptoms listed above (and in the visual on the dashboard this week) should stay home and get tested.
Stay well,