FALMOUTH-The Steamship Authority recently reported that an employee aboard the M/V Martha’s Vineyard and another assigned to the Vineyard Haven terminal have tested positive for COVID-19.
The noon trip on Sunday, December 27 that ended with the vessel’s arrival at 11:30 am in Woods Hole on Monday, December 28 was the last watch that the employee worked aboard the vessel.
The employee received a test after being informed that they were a close contact of another individual who had tested positive for COVID-19.
They received a positive result on Wednesday and immediately notified the Authority.
Other employees that had worked with the affected employee during their last watch were instructed not to report for duty.
After subsequent cancellations of the noon and 1:15 departures, substitute crew members were assigned to the vessel so that it could complete its scheduled trips.
Employees that worked with the affected employee have been notified by the Authority that they will not be allowed to return to work until after they have received a negative test result or been cleared by a medical professional.
The Steamship Authority disinfects all vessels nightly and performs cleanings of both public and employee areas, including high-touch areas like railings, table tops and door handles.
Employees are asked by the Authority not to come to work while they are sick for both their own safety as well as the safety of the crew and public.
The Authority also instructs its employees to wear cloth face coverings and practice good hand hygiene.
Update 5:36 a.m.: The following is from a press release send out by the Steamship Authority regarding a second employee, assigned to work at the Vineyard Haven terminal, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus:
…the Steamship Authority was informed today that an employee assigned to the Vineyard Haven terminal has tested positive for COVID-19. The incident is not related to the vessel employee case disclosed earlier.
The employee last worked at the terminal on Thursday, December 24, 2020. The employee subsequently learned that a relative with whom there had been close personal contact had tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was then tested, received the positive results Wednesday, December 30, 2020, and immediately notified the Authority.
Based on discussions with the Tisbury Board of Health, it is believed that the potential risk of exposure to the public or other Authority employees is extremely low. However, the Authority will work to determine if any employees or members of the public were in close contact with the individual and, as a result, should be tested.
The Authority is not disclosing the employee’s name or position within the company to ensure their private health information remains confidential.
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