Cape Cod Healthcare Highlights How to Stay Safe Amid COVID

COVID-19 illustration by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HYANNIS – With the Omicron variant of COVID leading to surges in new case numbers across the region, Cape Cod Healthcare President and CEO Michael Lauf highlighted resources that will help keep the community safe.

Lauf pointed to testing as a reliable way to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re testing now over 1,300 people a day at our sites,” said Lauf.

“With that, one in every four people is being diagnosed with COVID. That’s a fact. So COVID is here in our community, it’s very prevalent, but our hospitalizations are not nearly as high as they would have been a year ago.”

Lauf said that hospitals across the nation have been stretched thin by COVID, though Cape Cod Healthcare remains able to provide for their patients, adding that beds are fully staffed. 

“We’re busy, but we’re open. We can take care of people safely, we can treat people safely, we know how to handle this virus.”

A new visitation policy was implemented January 7 to further protect the safety of patients and staff, discouraging visitors but permitting them under guidelines including screening, masking and being within specific timeframes. 

Lauf said that the community can help healthcare providers and essential personnel by doing what they can to mitigate the spread of the virus on a personal level.

He encouraged good hand hygiene, masking, and for those not feeling well to stay home and get a test, and to follow the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines

Lauf also added that vaccines and boosters are readily available, and even with breakthrough cases being reported, health data shows that symptoms are greatly diminished for those vaccinated compared to those who are not. 

“Most times, more than not, it’s going to prevent you from being hospitalized, it’s going to prevent you from ending up on a ventilator. It’s going to potentially save your life.”

Lauf said that with diligence in following “common-sense steps,” the pandemic will eventually come to an end.  

Cape Cod Healthcare’s COVID-19 resource center page can be found here.

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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