Harwich Town Hall
HARWICH – Town of Harwich health officials said that the town has been downgraded from red to yellow and is no longer labelled a high risk community for the spread of COVID-19.
Interim Health Director and Assistant Town Administrator Meggan Eldredge reported the news to selectmen at a recent board meeting.
She said that a recent decrease in the positivity rates within the town led to the re-designation, though household spread is still prominent within the community and residents should continue to practice good hygiene and socially distance themselves.
She urged residents to continue to be tested if they have been exposed, as well as urged cooperation with contact tracers in the event a positive case is confirmed.
Eldredge said that the VNA and other officials can be helpful in many ways, including being able to direct residents to important resources they may need to meet the challenges of the ongoing pandemic.
When it comes to vaccinations, Eldredge said that the supply is “still not enough,” though providers across the region are receiving some shipments of doses.
She also said that a list of homebound residents is being compiled in order to facilitate vaccinations with Outer Cape Health Services.
Eldredge said that individuals who are homebound should make themselves aware to the local Council on Aging so that the town can find their contact information.
“We get hundreds of calls in the health department, mostly frustrated people, and we understand. Everyone’s frustrated with this process,” said Eldredge.
Eldredge said that the state’s 2-1-1 vaccine appointment hotline has been helpful for some residents looking to get vaccinated, but most feedback the town’s health department has received has been negative.
She said that in some cases, the hotline is referring callers back on Cape to the Barnstable County hotline, which is also being inundated with callers.
“They’ve gotten more than 20,000 calls in the last few weeks. It’s just not sustainable,” said Eldredge.
She said that local lawmakers and health officials are trying to bring more vaccine doses to the Cape and Islands region.
Eldredge urged residents to minimize gatherings and stay socially distant, including families looking to travel while students are on vacation, to mitigate the virus’s spread and avoid a surge of cases in the future.
About Grady Culhane
