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.
The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is starting its rollout for booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine, opening sign-ups for a small number of doses Friday evening. People 65 and older who received their second dose six months ago — April 1 or earlier — are eligible for signups.
The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is seeing its largest numbers of Covid and non-Covid related patients since the pandemic began, testing emergency room capacity as cases spike on-Island during the peak of summer.
