*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:

The Nantucket Cottage Hospital Environmental Services Department has acquired and is testing a new UVC disinfection robot that can help reduce healthcare associated infections, and will specifically assist with our COVID-19 response moving forward to ensure a safe patient care environment.

The robot uses powerful short wavelength ultraviolet-C lights to destroy any microorganisms exposed to it, and will be used in conjunction with the EVS team’s typical cleaning protocols for patient rooms to ensure nothing is missed. This new equipment was purchased with money from the Hospital Thrift Shop’s annual gift to the hospital. Thank you to the Hospital Thrift Shop team!

Nantucket Cottage Hospital is mourning the loss of Charles Balas, a longtime member of our Board of Trustees, who passed away last weekend.

Mr. Balas served as Chairman of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Board of Trustees from 1995 to 2001. As Chair, Mr. Balas led the hospital through some of its most important initiatives, including the creation of the Boston Pops on Nantucket fundraising event and the Campaign for the 21^st Century.

In light of his extraordinary record of service to the hospital, in 2012 Mr. Balas was appointed a Lifetime Honorary Trustee of Nantucket Cottage Hospital.