Fall River passes 13,000 COVID-19 cases, announces mobile vaccination effort

Fall River saw more cases of COVID-19 announced on Thursday in the City of Fall River’s weekly report.

According to the Mayor’s Office, 13,122 total cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, a 269 case increase reported since last Thursday.

The 269 cases is a decrease from the 279 cases reported the previous week.

The Fall River Health Department is in contact with the individuals who have tested positive as well as their contacts.

Deaths in Fall River contributed to COVID-19 increased to 354 as 9 new deaths have been reported since March 25th. 7 deaths were reported last week.

The City of Fall River has been chosen as a participant in a new mobile vaccination effort
orchestrated in partnership by FEMA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Fall River is expected to receive approximately 3,500 doses. The Coogan administration and the Fall River Department of Health & Human Services is in an ongoing conversation with state and FEMA officials to coordinate dates, times and locations for these clinics. Residents should expect these clinics to begin operation within the next 1-2 weeks.

Chelsea, Revere, Boston, and New Bedford are also a part of the program.

Doses will be picked up by the mobile vaccination teams at the Hynes and then distributed and administered in these communities. Most of these mobile units and pop up clinics will be set up in city parks, parking lots, and other trusted community locations identified by the municipalities as easy to access for community members.

The Commonwealth this week will distribute $4.7M of federal grant funding to the 20 communities most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 that will enable them to lead vaccine clinics and promote vaccine trust and confidence.

This funding will support local municipalities and health departments as they:

• collaborate with key stakeholders including local Community and Faith-Based Organizations; Community Health Centers, and Community Health Workers who can support grassroots outreach;

• additional staffing (e.g., public health nursing) and resources to support vaccine clinics in disproportionately impacted communities;

• identify gaps and map available resources to reduce barriers to vaccination; and

• disseminate culturally appropriate translations of communications campaign materials, including Trust the Facts. Get the Vax. campaign materials and vaccine FAQs in multiple languages, and support outreach efforts such as town halls and information sharing in close coordination with Community Liaisons, ASG and HCFA.

The funding includes a minimum of $100,000 dedicated to support staffing and public health infrastructure for local public health. This funding will be for today through June 30, 2022.

Boston: $963,429
Brockton: $222,064
Chelsea: $146,794
Everett: $160,302
Fall River: $211,129
Fitchburg: $152,370
Framingham: $192,517
Haverhill: $181,807
Holyoke: $151,192
Lawrence: $209,550
Leominster: $150,432
Lowell: $245,185
Lynn: $225,362
Malden: $184,177
Methuen: $166,532
New Bedford: $223,687
Randolph: $142,514
Revere: $175,682
Springfield: $296,713
Worcester: $338,378