OAK BLUFFS – Martha’s Vineyard boards of health, emergency managers, police, fire and other public safety organizations are providing updates on the COVID-19 outbreak.
The organizations, which include Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, MV Community Services and emergency preparedness teams are encouraging island residents to get serious about social distancing and to refrain from any unnecessary travel.
Other tips include making trips to the grocery store and pharmacy as quick as possible, refrain from dinner parties, play-dates and sleepovers for children and make sure to wash your hands when you arrive home.
They are also encouraging residents to use the phone to call, text, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom or other means for communication and to take kids on a trail or to the beach for fresh air but to keep it strictly family only.
The islands boards of health are monitoring and tracking the current outbreak and are working closely with state, county, and local government along with Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Emergency Managers, and more to act as a “Coronavirus Response Team.”
They will collaborate daily with conference calls, emails, and Zoom meetings to discuss protocols, stay informed, and to proactively educate the community.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, COVID-19 can survive 72 hours on hard surfaces like plastic and steel, 24 hours on cardboard, and 30 minutes in the air before landing on a surface.
The organizations realize that this is a time of uncertainty, but are reminding people that Martha’s Vineyard is a strong and resilient community, filled with active volunteers here to help.
Officials on the island said that people should consider taking a walk, calling a friend, eat healthy, meditate, and get enough sleep instead of constantly worrying about the pandemic.
Anyone feeling poorly who believes they may have COVID-19 symptoms should call a health care provider or the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital phone-screening service at 508 684 4500.
The service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Outside of these hours, provider’s on-call will be able to assists locals.
For anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, MVCS Emergency Services qualified behavioral health practitioners can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 508 693 0032.
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services announced the launch of Care for Community, a clearinghouse for organizations and volunteers during the COVID-19 crisis on the Island.
For more information on the program, visit mvcommunityservices.org.
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