As of 5 p.m. yesterday we reported 6 new cases of COVID-19 on Nantucket. That brings the total number of new cases on the island over the past 10 days to 40. Of course any number of new cases is concerning, but we are pleased that we are not experiencing exponential growth in community spread.

But the recent surge means that, as of last night, the state has moved Nantucket into the “red” category on its community-level COVID data reporting web site. This indicates Nantucket is considered to be among the highest risk communities in the state for transmission. High-risk communities are defined as those having more than 8 cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks.

Our drive-through testing site continues to see a high-volume of patients, although we saw fewer people seeking out testing yesterday than the previous two days.

We are in lock-step with the Nantucket Health Department in its approach to bringing this surge of cases under control, and at this point we agree that there should be a surgical approach on enforcement and monitoring rather than the broader restrictions that were imposed in the spring.

We have been extremely pleased with the work that has been done by island retail merchants, restaurants and hotels to take the appropriate precautions and abide by the public health regulations, and we are not seeing clusters in those areas.

I want to emphasize how important it is to support one another during this time, and not resort to shaming or accusing others of being irresponsible. We know that hand-washing, physical distancing and wearing masks reduces the risk of transmission, but that doesn’t mean it eliminates risk entirely. Someone can take every precaution and still become infected, so we ask that our fellow islanders who have been stricken with this disease not be shamed or denigrated. No one wants to get COVID-19 or spread it to others. So let’s remember to support each other and lift each other up rather than getting bogged down in an “us versus them” mentality or looking for someone to blame for this surge. (more…)

As of 5 p.m. yesterday we reported 2 new cases of COVID-19 on Nantucket. That brings the total number of new cases on the island over the past week to 32. While we would have liked to have seen no new cases yesterday, we were pleased that the numbers have not continued to increase.

However, the recent surge means that the state will soon be moving Nantucket into the “red” category on its community-level COVID data reporting web site. This indicates Nantucket is among the highest risk communities in the state for transmission.

Our drive-through testing site continues to see a high-volume of patients, and we have dedicated additional resources to increase our capacity for testing and meet that demand. (more…)

(11 de septiembre de 2020) Queremos compartir un mensaje importante con la comunidad de la isla. Durante las últimas 72 horas, hemos visto un aumento en los casos de COVID-19. Todas estas personas que dieron positivo por COVID-19 han sido notificadas y se está rastreando contactos. Le pedimos que si recibe una llamada telefónica de un rastreador de contactos, que responda sus preguntas de manera completa y veraz, coopere con la investigación del caso y cumpla con todos los procedimientos de aislamiento y cuarentena. El rastreo de contactos es una de las herramientas más sólidas que tenemos para prevenir la propagación del virus en nuestra población.

Sin embargo, también queremos enfatizar que la isla ahora está experimentando una propagación comunitaria del coronavirus. Esta mañana, el Departamento de Salud de Nantucket informó que 12 de los 14 nuevos casos son personas que viven en Nantucket. La mayoría de los que dieron positivo trabajan en oficios, como jardinería, construcción, carpintería y pintura, así como en limpieza, y viajan juntos a los lugares de trabajo. Este es un recordatorio importante para hacer cumplir los protocolos COVID-19 en los lugares de trabajo y las empresas. (more…)

We want to share an important message with the island community. Over the past 72 hours we have seen a spike in cases of COVID-19. These individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 have all been notified and contact tracing is in progress. We ask that if you receive a phone call from a contact tracer, that you answer their questions thoroughly and truthfully, cooperate with the case investigation, and comply with all isolation and quarantine procedures. Contact tracing is among the strongest tools we have to prevent the spread of the virus in our population.

However, we also want to emphasize that the island is now experiencing community spread of the coronavirus. This morning, the Nantucket Health Department reported that 12 of the 14 new cases are individuals who live on Nantucket. The majority of the those who have tested positive work in the trades, including landscaping, construction, carpentry and painting, as well as cleaning, and are travelling to workplaces together. This is an important reminder to enforce COVID-19 protocols at job sites and businesses.

Now is the time for everyone on Nantucket take personal responsibility and to do your part to keep our island safe. It takes the whole community to do this. We are asking Nantucketers to recommit to the precautions and safety measures that we know have worked over the spring and summer. Maintain vigilance and wear a mask when you go out in public. Continue physical distancing and hand-washing as much as possible. We are asking you to avoid large gatherings with people who you do not live with, and stay home when possible. Let’s all cheer for the Patriots on Sunday, but we ask you to do so with your immediate families rather than gathering in large groups or parties to watch the game. (more…)