Courtesy of Peter Schmeck
HYANNIS – With a vaccination rate leading the rest of the state, the Cape Cod COVID Response Task Force said that the Cape is more than ready to welcome summer travelers this season.
Seventy-eight percent of all residents eligible for the vaccine on Cape Cod have received at least one dose, while 67 percent are fully vaccinated.
State COVID-19 public safety restrictions will be lifted on Saturday, and task force member and State Senator Julian Cyr asked those traveling ahead of Memorial Day weekend to comply with the guidelines until the official date.
He also said that businesses are currently in a transition period as they work towards reopening.
“Moving tables, serving things out, whatever that looks like. And I do want to remind the public that business owners at their own discretion may require masks to be worn on their property,” said Cyr.
“We’re asking you to please respect that decision. To not make life harder for those of us working hard to serve you. Plan to always have a mask handy, at least for the foreseeable future.”
Masks are still required in hospital settings, as well as on public transportation, including ferries.
Task force members said that travelers may want to consider having their proof of vaccination card handy, as some businesses—particularly indoor group activities like dance clubs—may also require proof of inoculation.
Cyr said that with more than a year of restrictions, outdoor activities such as beach-going, the Barnstable County Fair, Cape Cod Baseball League games and hiking the Cape Cod National Seashore trails will likely be popular activities.
The Cape is still facing a workforce shortage, said Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross.
“There may be delays at restaurants, shops and other businesses that serve the traveling public as well as our residents,” said Northcross.
Recent federal efforts to expand visas for employers may assist the Cape in navigating the labor shortage, but delays in service should still to be expected, said Northcross.
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