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As COVID-19 cases rise and the delta variant makes its way into the state, UMass Memorial Medical Center on Thursday unveiled a new weapon in the fight against the pandemic: monoclonal antibody treatment.

“We hope as few patients as possible will need this facility, but if they do, we will be ready,” said Dr. Michael Gustafson, president of UMass Memorial Medical Center, at the unveiling of the treatment trailer, which is parked at the Hahnemann campus. 

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Worcester Health Commissioner Dr. Matilde “Mattie” Castiel has been out in communities of color, seeing a disproportionate effect from the virus.

The commissioner has been trying to get the vaccine out to residents, but the toll of the pandemic is still visible as some remain hesitant to inoculation.

UMass Memorial Health — HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital recently invested $717,000 to fund community-based initiatives aimed at tackling the urgent health challenges of food insecurity, substance abuse and workforce development, according to a press release from the hospital.

To date, the hospital has committed more than $820,000 in resources, including emergency COVID-19 response funding, according to the hospital.

As some neighboring communities soar ahead of the state average, Marlborough and Hudson are still keeping pace in the ongoing push to vaccinate as many residents as possible against COVID-19, state data shows.

As of June 29, Hudson, Marlborough, Grafton and Shrewsbury all had similar rates, with 69 percent, 67 percent, 66 percent and 71 percent of residents, respectively, being fully vaccinated. In Northborough, Southborough and Westborough the rates were, in order, 87 percent, 84 percent and 87 percent.

Alliteratively, they’re a great match. But parades and pandemics have a troubled history. In September 1918, a parade in Philadelphia helped fuel a surge in the influenza pandemic that year that killed thousands.

Mass illness is not a concern this July Fourth Weekend in much of New England, where a few parades took place, including in Hopkinton, where the town held its annual Independence Day Boat Parade on Lake Maspenock.

Ten years ago, William Lee, 77, underwent a liver transplant at UMass Memorial Medical Center, as he was suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer. 

Ten years later, at 87, Lee has continued to live a healthy life with his family.

A blood shortage around the country, following a decline in blood donations over the Memorial Day weekend, is impacting UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

In an email sent by Chief Medical Officer Andy Karson and Chief Nursing Officer Justin Precourt last Friday, they reported the hospital is seeing a large reduction in the supply of Type O and Type B blood. In the email, they said they expect this to be remedied sometime this week, but until then there are critical measures the hospital is taking to ensure it has enough blood for lifesaving care.

Through a collaborative effort between the school district, the Board of Health and UMass-Marlborough Hospital staff, students over the age of 12, with parental consent, are being vaccinated against COVID-19 during the school day at both Marlborough’s high school and at the middle school.  

What hasn’t Eric W. Dickson done in the past year to show his influence as the leader of the largest employer in Central Mass., with 14,000 workers?

Early during the coronavirus pandemic, he pledged no layoffs or furloughs despite the financial hit to UMass Memorial. He gave $500 bonuses to caregivers, was on the forefront of local business leaders in touting the importance of diversity, equity & inclusion, donated his salary during the initial peak for employee assistance, and enrolled in an early COVID-19 vaccine study to prove his confidence in the science.