A letter to seasonal residents from the Town of Nantucket, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce that was released on Monday appears to be causing confusion related to the scope of recommendations and its intent.  Together, we feel it is important to clarify that the recommendation regarding quarantine for those traveling to Massachusetts pertains only to the timeframe of Governor Baker’s orders which have now been extended through May 18 and was intended as information only for seasonal residents of Nantucket planning to return to the island while the orders are in place.

It was not intended to reflect recommendations related to hotel occupancy and short-term rentals. Those recommendations will be updated as information is released from the Governor’s office.  We ask everyone to use personal discretion in your behavior when assessing your level of risk to others and limit your interactions accordingly, following directives for travel set forth by the CDC, state and local authorities.

Infection Control experts have been collaborating with colleagues across our system to continually evaluate and update our COVID-19 testing criteria based on an assessment of clinical priorities and our testing capacity. Please note the ambulatory testing criteria at our drive-through evaluation site at the main entrance of Nantucket Cottage Hospital have been loosened to include all patients with active COVID-19 symptoms.

The new criteria include at least one of the following signs or symptoms consistent with a viral respiratory syndrome:

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*please note clarification below at end of letter

On behalf of everyone at the Town of Nantucket, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, we hope this message finds you and your loved ones well. As you consider a return to the island we wanted to reach out to our seasonal residents with some guidance and best practices to ensure that the summer will be as safe as possible for everyone on Nantucket.

While you have been away, much has transpired on the island. Early in January Nantucket Cottage Hospital and the Town of Nantucket leadership initiated their planning and response to the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. In a sweeping effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 on the island, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, the Town of Nantucket government departments, and State leaders led major initiatives to protect the health of Nantucket residents.

The really good news: Spring is here, flowers abound, your homes wait for your return, and so far, the island has largely been spared from the catastrophic spread of COVID-19. As an island community we have been successful in limiting the extent of the impact of the coronavirus on Nantucket by implementing early and vigilant physical distancing measures, as well as the collective actions of our citizens, and the relative isolation of our island. However, we are concerned that could change when our population increases going into the summer.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our country and the world, The Birthplace at Nantucket Cottage Hospital is working hard to ensure your health and provide all of our patients exceptional care while at the same time minimizing risk of COVID-19 spread.  We are fortunate that Nantucket has had only a small number of COVID-19 cases to date, but we must remain vigilant in our prevention methods until we reach a point when it is safe to start to remove precautions. For our pregnant patients and new mothers, we are committed to having the best balance possible between the essential care needed for your pregnancy and keeping you, your family, and our health care workers as safe as possible.  We would like to update you on several new policies at the hospital that are related to pregnancy care: