Friday July 23, 2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
The number of new reports of positive Coronavirus cases in Barnstable remains low, with a slight decrease in the average daily incidence rate compared to last week. During the past fourteen days, the Health Division received thirteen (13) new positive COVID-19 case reports which calculates to less than one (0.92) new case per day. As demonstrated in the graph below, this is significantly less compared to the average daily incidence rate approximately three months ago, when the average daily incidence rate was at 35.1 new cases per day.
A total of 4,247 Town of Barnstable residents have tested positive for COVID-19 cumulatively to date. In Barnstable County, there have been a total of 14,199 positive cases and a total of 473 deaths from Coronavirus. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported there have been a total of 667,818 positive cases cumulatively in the State of Massachusetts and 17,673 deaths from COVID-19. In the United States, there have been a cumulative total of 34,284,382 cases and a total of 610,192 deaths from Coronavirus.
The number of hospitalizations of patients infected with this virus remains unchanged compared to one week ago. As of yesterday, Cape Cod Healthcare reported a total of five (5) patients who were being treated in their two hospitals (Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital), none in the intensive care unit.
More than sixty-seven (67) vaccination clinics were held during the past six months by the Town of Barnstable at the Barnstable Adult Community Center (formerly known as the Senior Center), at 200 Main Street, at multiple senior housing complexes, apartment buildings, and at outdoor pop-up sites. In addition all five fire departments worked together, under the coordination of the Hyannis Fire Department, to provide vaccinations to our homebound residents.
Barnstable County has one of the highest vaccination percentage rate compared to the other counties in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported this week seventy-eight percent (78%) of our Barnstable County residents (all ages) have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and sixty-eight percent (69%) of our Barnstable County residents are now fully vaccinated. The cumulative percentage of eligible residents who are fully vaccinated, based on those vaccine eligible residents only (12 years of age and older), calculates to a cumulative percentage of seventy-six percent (76%).
Under the leadership of Town Manager Mark Ells, key officials of the Town continue to meet twice weekly to share communications relative to effectively administering the multitude of policies and programs in step with the Town’s Mission Statement and Strategic Plan as approved by the Town Council. Health Division staff continue to meet and coordinate twice weekly to ensure we are providing the most up-to-date information to citizens and business owners relative to State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines. Health inspectors continue to investigate and respond to complaints, conduct food establishment inspections, swimming pool inspections, horse stable inspections, rental unit inspections, witness percolation tests, conduct inspections at businesses which store or utilize hazardous materials, review disposal works construction permit (septic system) applications, and review building permit applications,.
Our Public Health Nurse continues to telephone those who become infected to ensure they are appropriately isolated and to contact individuals who have come into contact with them to take the required quarantine precautions.
We continue to ask everyone to continue to follow the basic State guidelines which include:
• Wearing a face covering while indoors at a medical office and at public transportation venues (i.e. while on a bus, taxi, plane, ship, train) as required by State and Federal laws.
• Wearing a face covering while indoors in public places if you are not fully vaccinated;
• Frequent hand-washing, for 20 seconds with soap;
• Cough hygiene – into a tissue when possible (throw it away immediately) or into your arm.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose with unwashed hands.
• Stay at home from work and other activities when ill.
• Avoid contact with those who are ill.
• Stay home to isolate or quarantine when contacted and required by the Board of Health.
If you should have any questions, call us at the Town of Barnstable Health Division Office at 508 862 4644.
Respectfully Submitted,
Thomas A. McKean, RS, CHO
Director of Public Health