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…)

Joint Statement from Nantucket Cottage Hospital and the Nantucket Health Department | Sept. 10, 2020

Today we reported an additional 7 new cases of COVID-19 among patients tested at the Nantucket Cottage Hospital drive-through testing site. This brings the two-day incidence to 14 new cases. The Town of Nantucket Health Department and Nantucket Cottage Hospital are working to determine if these new cases are connected or not, along with the necessary contact tracing. We are looking to ensure that this community spread is contained as quickly as possible. To that end, we urge all those individuals who receive a phone call from a contact tracer to answer the call and cooperate fully with the case investigation. This is among the most important tools we have to contain the spread of the virus. We also continue to urge all Nantucket residents and visitors to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on the island, including wearing masks, physical distancing, refraining from gathering in any groups, and vigilant hand-washing. It is critical that this spread be contained so that our high-risk population stays safe and our hospital does not become overwhelmed.