By Juanita Carnes FNP, Chair, and Joseph Rouse, director
Local covid numbers: See Peter Currier’s front page article in Friday’s edition.
Regionally, our hospitals are still admitting a high number of COVID-19 cases. The good news is there are far fewer ICU level patients than we saw in the spring and summer. US reports a 10% decline in the number of COVID-19 deaths over the last seven days but CDC predicts Covid-19 deaths to reach 508,000 by February 13, 2021. The US has had 250,052 new cases daily over the last week. This is down 19% from last week but triple the peak last summer.
CDC reports 35,990,150 doses distributed and 16,525,281 administered as of January 20th. 1,908,258 have been dispensed at long term facilities. Our department is awaiting information from the state regarding distribution of vaccines. As soon as we know, we will be hosting vaccine administration clinics. This information will be posted in this newspaper and on our website. Please be patient. It will take time to vaccinate everyone in each phase. Vaccines are released from the federal government to the states. Eachstate decides how to distribute these. Hospitals in the first phase experienced computer registration programs crashing and other issues. Hopefully, we will all learn from the issues faced during each phase and streamline vaccine administration. It is also expected that there will be more Federal guidance with the new administration. For current information from the state regarding all clinics and who is eligible, please visit: mass.gov/Covid.
Testing:
-If you have symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, chills, cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, shortness of breath, headache.
-If you have been within 6 feet for 15 minutes of someone with confirmed COVID-19.
-If you have taken part in activities that put you at higher risk such as large gatherings and
travel.
Experiencing symptoms and want to get tested? Call your health provider first.
-If you do get tested you should stay home pending test results. Going to the market after your test, exposes you to COVID and invalidates that test. Also, if you have been tested then it is assumed you may have COVID and you could be spreading the virus.
-If you test positive you must isolate at home.
-If you test negative it simply means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of your testing. Continue to protect yourself and others. Some are using the terms isolate and quarantine interchangeably. Isolation is used to separate people with COVID-19 symptoms from those who are not infected. Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus from others.
So with this slight decrease in COVID-19 numbers, be hopeful but don’t be careless. Continue vigilance with protecting yourself and others.
Dedicated health department members who have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic are:
Debra Mulvenna RN, Assistant Director
Evelyn Bristol RN
Steve Cipriani, Health Inspector
Thomas Hibert, Health Inspector
Cheryl McMordie Office Manager
Crystal Dugay
Kathi Cotugno, CORE coordinator
Other Board Members:
Margaret Doody
Stan Strzempko MD
WE KEEP WORKING TO KEEP YOU SAFE
Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Avoid gatherings. Stay home. Save lives.
Look for us in next Saturday’s edition.
