The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has announced the addition to its staff of two new primary care physicians, Dr. Zachary L. Gitlin, and Dr. Ruppert A. Hawes.

A shipment of medical supplies is on its way to Ukraine from the Vineyard thanks to a collaboration between the Martha's Vineyard Hospital and a West Tisbury resident with family in the war-torn country.

The Cottagers will hold a sale at Hartford Park in Oak Bluffs on Friday, Aug. 2 for the benefit of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Their tables will include gifts, food, white elephants, grabs, hot dogs and tonic. Mrs. John J. Goldsberry is serving as general chairman, Miss Dorothy West, Mrs. Frederick White, Mrs. Wilmer Lucas, and E. W. Finley, who is president of the Cottagers.

There will also be tables in charge of the following: Mrs. David Rappaport, special benefit, a doll; miscellaneous, Mrs. Herbert G. Louis; aprons, Mrs. Anna M. Ryan.

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has taken over as lead coordinator for emergency behavioral health services on the Island.

Vineyard boards of health reported 82 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the week ending Christmas Day, a decline from weeks prior. The count still ranks among the highest on Island in 2021.

With the Omicron variant creating an explosion of cases nationally, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported Wednesday that four people were hospitalized — the most since the pandemic began.

Islanders are queuing up in large numbers for Covid-19 tests and booster shots, as an early winter case surge swells on the Vineyard and public health officials keep close eye on the numbers.

The recent surge in Covid-19 cases on the Island has included an increase in hospitalizations, even as appointments for booster vaccine shots have been hard to come by.

As Covid-19 cases continue on a downward trajectory this fall, the six Martha’s Vineyard boards of health are now poised to revisit the question of mandatory indoor mask mandates on the Island The boards of health planned to meet at noon Friday by Zoom.

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital will begin taking appointments for booster doses of the Moderna and J&J vaccines for eligible individuals starting at 4 p.m. Friday.