COVID

Just 2 Mass. communities remain in the state’s ‘red zone’ for COVID-19 risk

Here's a look at the two communities, and where others stand.

Carolyn Kaster / AP, File

May 21, 2021

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Just two communities remain in the state’s “red zone” for COVID-19 risk this week as Massachusetts continues to see a decline in cases.

This is four less communities than last week, when there were six cities and towns on the list.

Lawrence and New Bedford are the two remaining, with positivity rates of 4.46 percent and 4.31 percent, respectively.

There are 48 communities designated “yellow” this week, 117 “green,” and 184 “grey,” meaning the city or town had less than 15 or 10 new cases in the last two-week period depending on its size.

A community receives a red-zone designation based on a few factors. Small communities with under 10,000 residents are placed in the red zone if they have more than 25 cases total over the last two weeks. For communities between 10,000 and 50,000 people, a red-zone designation is given if the community has 10 or more average daily cases per 100,000 residents and if the positivity rate is greater than or equal to 5 percent. For communities over 50,000, they need a daily average of 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 4 percent or higher.