SANDWICH – With COVID vaccination rates on the rise and Barnstable County health officials saying that the last surge of cases has passed, Town of Sandwich health officials are looking to the future of COVID immunity.
Director of Public Health David Mason said that he is already considering the possibility that booster shots may be necessary to maintain full protection against the coronavirus.
“This may become a regular thing,” said Mason.
“Currently, when people receive their flu shots, they’re actually receiving a dose of the H1N1 [vaccine], when the swine flu came through. That is incorporated in the dose every year. So that’s something that’s been ongoing. We may see this kind of thing also, that it just kind of merges into a regular flu shot routine.”
Fire Chief John Burke said that the department as well as other health officials are working on a way to determine when a booster may be necessary.
The chief said that it may come down to counting antibodies.
Burke said that regardless of the need for COVID booster shots or not, the town and region at large has learned much from the pandemic vaccination process that it can use in the “new-normal.”
“It puts us in a good position. Because again, we’re going to be looking at the fall. Not necessarily COVID boosters maybe, but you’re also looking at flu shots again and we have that template ready to go,” said Burke.
The town will continue with testing efforts in order to mitigate spread of the virus, including its new Project Business Employment Assistant Testing (BEAT) COVID developed with the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce.
The program will provide testing for employers concerned with potential cases and need assistance with testing their employees.
About Grady Culhane
