New coronavirus case numbers were virtually unchanged this week.

Vaccination numbers, however, continued to decrease.

As of Friday afternoon, the state and its seven health districts reported 190,007 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, a 0.6 percent weekly increase.

The monthlong slowdown in jabs comes as Idaho teenagers are now eligible for a vaccine. On Tuesday, a Centers for Disease Control panel recommended the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds. For weeks, vaccines have been available to all Idahoans aged 16 years or older.

It was an eventful week of coronavirus news, locally and nationally. A few headlines:

Idaho enters Stage 4. The state moved into its fourth and least restrictive coronavirus reopening phase this week. Stage 4 allows gatherings of any size, but state officials say a successful reopening hinges on vaccinations, Audrey Dutton of the Idaho Capital Sun reported Tuesday.

CDC eases mask requirements. Fully vaccinated Americans can go without masks in most indoor and outdoor settings, the Centers for Disease Control announced Thursday. “We have all longed for this moment, when we can get back to some sense of normalcy,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. (Full story from Laura Olson of States Newsroom.) On Friday, the city of Boise responded by lifting its mandate.

… but West Ada keeps mask requirement. West Ada School District students will still be required to wear masks indoors, but masks are optional outdoors and will be optional during summer programs. The state’s largest district revisited the mask issue Tuesday.

“I don’t want an asterisk next to these kids’ names.” Idaho’s public schools will receive more than $400 million of new coronavirus aid, and Gov. Brad Little wants to see the money invested in programs that will make a difference for kids who have struggled during the pandemic. Little discusses the turbulent 2020-21 school year, and the marathon 2021 legislative session, in Kevin Richert’s weekly podcast.

Here are this week’s numbers, and comparisons with the previous week:

Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 4.4 percent for week ending May 8, up from 4.3 percent the previous week.