An illustration of COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HYANNIS – With the coronavirus pandemic easing, the Cape Cod COVID Response Task Force will dissolve.
But its members said that it won’t be the end of their cooperation on other regional issues.
Public information officer for the task force and Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr congratulated the members, and said that the tools they developed over the pandemic can be used for many future challenges facing the region.
He said that the task force fulfilled its mission of keeping the Cape’s messages on COVID uniform, as well as being a connective tissue between the region and state government on issues related to testing, vaccination and relief efforts.
“We truly navigated our way through uncharted waters. I do hope that we provided a bit of a playbook on how you confront really big challenges, including global pandemic,” said Cyr.
“But hopefully we don’t have to dust off that playbook anytime soon when it comes to a public health emergency.”
Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment Director Sean O’Brien said that the final case surges are likely over, with the end of the pandemic now in sight.
“We’re definitely on the other side of this mountain, which was a third phase of the disease coming through,” said O’Brien.
“We’re seeing that across the state as well. We’re seeing high vaccination numbers that are out there too. We’re at this point where, yes, we’re still concerned, COVID is still out there. But we’re starting to see things wind down when it comes to numbers in the Commonwealth.”
According to the latest data from state health officials released Thursday evening, 79 percent of the Cape’s eligible population has received at least one dose, while 68 percent are fully vaccinated.
On Martha’s Vineyard, 96 percent have received a shot, with 84 percent fully vaccinated.
Nantucket leads the three regions, with 100 percent of its eligible population having received at least one dose and 85 percent fully vaccinated.
O’Brien said that the county is still conducting vaccinations and has plenty of mostly-Pfizer brand supply available.
He stressed the importance of vaccinations in order to get the strongest defense against COVID-19 as the region works towards reopening.
Cyr said that Memorial Day weekend was a busy one—despite inclement weather—and urged travelers and residents alike to be patient with workers dealing with more responsibilities than usual this summer amid reopening transitions and a workforce shortage.
As the community finishes the final leg of the race towards herd immunity, Cyr said that the task force will turn its focus onto other issues affecting the region, namely the lack of affordable housing that plagues the Cape.
About Grady Culhane
