Friday October 1, 2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Fourteen Day Average Incidence Rate in the Town of Barnstable
The two-week average daily incidence rate decreased again for the second consecutive week, as demonstrated in the graph below (see right side of graph). During the past fourteen days, the Health Division received 103 new positive COVID-19 case reports, which calculates to an average daily incidence rate of 7.4 new cases per day. A total of 4,829 Town of Barnstable residents were diagnosed with COVID-19 cumulatively to date.
County, State, and National Cumulative Death and Case Counts
In Barnstable County, there have been a total of 16,796 positive cases and a total of 506 deaths cumulatively from Coronavirus. This includes six deaths during the past week. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported there have been a total of 757,849 positive cases cumulatively in the State of Massachusetts and 18,240 deaths from COVID-19. In the United States overall, according to the John Hopkins University website, there have been 43,459,971 positive Coronavirus patients to date, resulting in 697,849 total deaths nationwide.
Cape Cod Hospitalizations
As of this past Tuesday September 24th , Cape Cod Healthcare reported a total of seventeen (17) patients who were being treated for COVID-19 at their two hospitals, Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital. Of those patients, one (1) was in intensive care.
Cases and Hospitalizations of Unvaccinated Persons Versus Vaccinated Persons
As of September 25, 2021, 4,610,534 Massachusetts residents were fully vaccinated. There have been 36,723 (0.08%) COVID-19 cases in vaccinated people. One thousand one hundred fifty-five (1,155) of those 36.723 cases (0.03%) resulted in hospitalizations. Two-hundred and fifty-four (254) cases (0.006%) resulted in death, based on information reported to date. Here is a link to mass.gov website provides this information weekly: https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-report-covid-19-cases-in-vaccinated-individuals-september-28-2021/download
Vaccinations of Barnstable County Residents
Our population vaccination percentage rate continues to be one of the highest compared to other counties and other states. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported this week eighty-eight percent (88%) of our Barnstable County residents who are eligible to receive vaccinations (ages 12 and older) have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine – and eighty (80%) of our age- eligible residents are fully vaccinated.
Moving Forward
The Town will continue to follow the orders and directives provided by of our Massachusetts Governor and protocols provided by the State Department of Public Health Under the leadership of Town Manager Mark Ells, key officials of the Town continue to meet twice weekly to share communications relative to recent trends and scientific changes associated with the virus, CDC and State guidance and directives, as well as 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. Schools and childcare centers continue to be subject to guidance from DESE and the MA Department of Public Health.
Health Division
Health Division staff continue to meet twice weekly to plan and implement actionable preventative measures and to ensure we are providing guidance and/or enforcement in step with the recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), requirements provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and orders provided by the Massachusetts Governor.
Our Public Health Nurse and contract nurses continue to work daily, including during holidays and week-ends, to contact 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.
Requirements and Recommendations
We continue to advise everyone to continue to follow requirements and/or recommendations which include to:
- Wear 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.
- Frequently wash hands for 20 seconds with soap;
- Provide cough hygiene; cough 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.
In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health provided a mask advisory as follows:
- Fully vaccinated individuals are advised to wear a mask or face covering when indoors (and not in your own home) if you have a weakened immune system, or if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is an unvaccinated adult.
[Note: The Commonwealth’s mask order was rescinded on May 29, 2021. Also note that the above MA DPH advisory is not a requirement/order.]
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