Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FALMOUTH – As the region sees a small increase in COVID-19 cases with the holiday season approaching, Falmouth Health Agent Scott McGann said he is confident in the town’s ability to mitigate the spread of virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Barnstable County is experiencing high community transmission of the virus with a percent positivity rate of 3.91 percent.
McGann said that Falmouth is looking at a weekly positivity rate of about 1.75 percent.
“Our positivity [rate] is still in the low category. We have no indication that hospitalizations are an issue at this point,” said McGann.
The cold weather will likely drive individuals indoors en masse, according to health experts, where the virus will spread more readily.
Travel for Thanksgiving and other seasonal holidays will also provide opportunities for the virus to spread.
“We are going to be going indoors. We do have the holidays right around and that will tend to drive the cases upwards, no doubt. But hopefully with vaccinations it shouldn’t get to a point where hospitalizations and deaths get really, really high or anything of that nature.”
As 5 to 11 year old’s become eligible for the pediatric dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, McGann directed residents to the state’s vaxfinder.mass.gov website to find an appointment.
He also advised that the region’s apparent vaccination rate will dip due to the increase in eligible residents with the addition of children to the pool, but also said it will steadily climb back up to around as more kids get the shot.
Booster doses also remain available for those who are at high-risk for the virus, including first responders and educational staff.
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