Island boards of health

Cyanobacteria Monitoring Under Way in Island Ponds

Island boards of health, working in conjunction with the Great Pond Foundation, issued the summer’s first cyanobacteria bloom watch notices last week.

Boards of Health Suspend Indoor Mask Mandate Islandwide

Marking another turning point in the pandemic, Islanders can now shop, dine out and enter most public buildings without masks.

Boards of Health Set to Revisit Indoor Mask Mandate

Martha’s Vineyard boards of health will take up the question of whether to continue the mandatory Islandwide indoor mask mandate this week, as regional and national guidance shifts toward a looser approach to face coverings in public.

Boards of Health Urge Caution; Hospital Curtails Non-Emergency Visits

With Covid-19 now racing through the Vineyard community, boards of health issued a public health message Tuesday urging Islanders to take steps to protect themselves from infection.

Down-Island Towns Adopt Indoor Mask Mandate

The Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Tisbury boards of health voted unanimously to institute a mask mandate for indoor public spaces during a rare emergency, joint meeting Tuesday morning, changing course again as cases climb.

Boards of Health Issue Mask Advisory for Indoor Public Spaces

In a significant shift, Island boards of health have issued a mask advisory for indoor public spaces on the Vineyard, regardless of vaccination status, the contagious Delta variant continues to spread.

State Launches Far-Reaching Public Health Initiative for Vineyard, Nantucket

A first-of-its kind public health initiative aims to tackle the work of better documenting and reducing tick-borne illnesses and substance abuse.

Free Test Site Proved to Be a Game Changer on the Vineyard

It began in the back yard, a regular repartee between an Edgartown summer resident, Steve Rusckowski, and his trusty landscaper, Michael Donaroma.

Coalition Forms to Monitor Cyanobacteria in Great Ponds

A new private-public coalition announced this week will monitor the presence of cyanobacteria in the Edgartown, Chilmark and Tisbury Great Ponds this summer, including through maps and a special-purpose website.

Medical Interpreters Break Barriers in Pandemic Treatment

Last week, Martha’s Vineyard graduated 10 newly-trained Portuguese language interpreters through a highly-intensive, 60-hour course focused specifically on medical interpreting.

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