Harwich Community Leaders Hold Forum on Response to Pandemic

HARWICH – Community leaders in Harwich held a leadership forum yesterday to talk about the ways organizations and programs are handling the spread of the coronavirus.

The forum featured officials from the government, educational, business, and healthcare sectors, including Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr’s Chief-of-Staff Pat Johnson, Harwich Public Health Director Meggan Eldredge, the Office of Congressman Bill Keating, Christine Menard from the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, and others.

Harwich Interim Town Administrator Joe Powers said that this forum plans to meet regularly and will act as a way for each sector to give updates to one another and distribute information to related organizations.

Eldredge said that Harwich Public Health plans to keep officials and residents up to date with the most current updates on the spread of the virus.

“We’re dedicated giving out the most pressing information while maintaining all of our privacy laws. I know that we will have more cases in the near future, and that brings a lot of questions for people.”

Harwich Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cyndi Williams said that businesses are continuing to serve residents the best they can with the restrictions on food service in place.

“The Chamber is using our Facebook page to update everyone. The restaurants currently are still doing take-out and our businesses that are open are continuing to stay open. There is shopping available online for anyone. One thing that we do ask is that everyone continues the social distancing, and if you do need anything from any of those businesses, use their online stores,” said Williams.

Chief Executive Officer at Outer Cape Health Services Pat Nadle said that they are still open and gave an update on the new remote visits with staff to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“Our patients are very pleased to have a telephone-visit with our providers, to be able to stay home but still be able to touch-base with their doctors. We will be continuing on with this operation over the next many weeks,” said Nadle.

“Hopefully it won’t be that many, but we are prepared for that.”

Nadle also spoke on the diminished personal protective equipment and testing materials supplies, assuring the community that Outer Cape Health had agencies assisting them get the materials they need.

Officials will continue to stay in touch with one another and converse regularly via the forums as the coronavirus continues to spread through communities. 

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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