CHATHAM – Chatham officials provided an update Thursday on the recent cluster of COVID-19 cases reported within local establishments to the Cape Cod Reopening Task Force.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health identified Chatham as a “red” level town this week, based on the average daily incidence rate per 100,000 people.
It was listed as one of 13 of these municipalities across the state and the only one on Cape Cod. The spike was attributed to seven cases among staffers at the Chatham Squire, along with one at the Chatham Bars Inn.
Select Board Chair Shareen Davis reported that as far as the town is aware, all of the cases involve workers at these establishments, and no other public cases have been identified to this point since the initial cases were reported last week.
“We’re all about safety here, and we just want to rest assure everybody that we are doing everything we can,” Davis said.
Restaurants like the Squire have been vigilant in following up with virus protocols, according to Davis.
Dr. Robert Duncanson with the Chatham Health and Natural Resources Department agreed, and added that these preparations have allowed the establishments to quickly take action.
They were able to swiftly disinfect and get the town involved in actions such as contact tracing. As a result, they have been allowed to reopen.
“It’s not something we just started in the last week or two,” Duncanson said.
“We reach out to them on a regular basis and remind them of the state’s guidelines as those things change.”
Davis said that town officials will take time to answer public questions at some point next week. In the meantime, the town is urging resident to continue to practice virus mitigation, such as hand washing and social distancing.
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