(May 11 2021) Nantucket Cottage Hospital reported five new coronavirus cases Tuesday morning. There have been 19 cases in the past week, a seven-day positivity rate of 3.8 percent.
Tuesday's results also included 51 negatives, and no tests are pending.
"I think the combination of vaccination rates, increased weather and people bing more aware has done a pretty good job of containing that last surge," human services director Jerico Mele told the Select Board last Wednesday.
As of Monday, the hospital has administered 8,956 first-dose vaccinations, and 6,772 second-dose vaccinations at its New South Road VFW clinic.
Vaccination of the general public began April 19.
The town has received 1,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and is planning to offer mobile clinics that could target job sites and other areas where workers might have trouble getting time off during business hours to be vaccinated, in addition to scheduling appointments at its VFW vaccination site.
“Little by little we are getting through this, but what’s important to understand with the numbers we’re seeing on Nantucket as well as across the state is that COVID is one of those illnesses that’s going to be here to stay like the flu and the common cold," Nantucket health director Roberto Santamaria said.
The Board of Health on April 20 lifted its outdoor mask mandate, a move Gov. Charlie Baker made statewide earlier in the week. Masks are still required indoors and where social distancing is not possible.
In addition to lifting the outdoor mask mandate, Baker's plan also includes raising gathering limits to 200 people indoors and 250 outdoors beginning May 29, which could have a major impact on the local wedding industry.
There have been five COVID-19 Nantucket deaths since the start of the pandemic, the most recent on April 7 – a woman in her mid-50s.
Hospital staff have collected 32,236 nasal swabs for testing since last March. In addition to the 1,551 positive tests since the beginning of the pandemic – 4.83 percent of the total number returned – 30,680 have come back negative.
All COVID-19 testing is being conducted at the hospital's 57 Prospect St. drive-through portico to free up additional vaccination space at the New South Road VFW. Testing for those with symptoms and close contacts is held from 7-10 a.m. Monday-Friday.
COVID-19 elective testing for asymptomatic patients is by appointment only. Since drive-up testing ended April 28, the number of tests administered by the hospital has dropped by about 50 percent.
There have been 1,493 coronavirus cases confirmed on Nantucket in the past seven months, beginning Sept. 9, 2020 with a spike linked to workers in the trades, followed by a second surge in late September tied to a church function in which a communal meal was shared.
A third spike in early November was again tied to workers in the trades, followed by significant surges related to holiday gatherings and travel at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. A moderate surge in early March was tied to school-break-related travel, followed by the most recent rise in cases, which is believed to be linked to the arrival of additional COVID-19 variants on the island.
Prior to Sept. 9, Nantucket had one of the lowest COVID-19 rates in the state per 100,000 population, and the fewest confirmed cases of any county in Massachusetts.
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May 11, 2021 at 10:26PM
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Five new coronavirus cases reported on Nantucket Tuesday - The Inquirer and Mirror
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