An epidemiologist studying how the Vineyard has fared over the past 15 months said the low death tally is more than a statistical anomaly.
Vineyard Covid-19 case counts have neared their highest levels since the pandemic began, with new clusters identified at businesses across the Island as the Delta variant continues its spread. Boards of health reported 97 new cases from August 15-21.
Boards of health in four more Island towns voted unanimously this week to impose a mask mandate for indoor public spaces, and West Tisbury adopted a vaccination requirement for town employees.
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.
All three down-Island towns are scheduled to hold a joint emergency board of health meeting Tuesday to discuss an indoor mask mandate, as Covid cases continue to double by the week in August.
TestMV — the Island’s free testing site — has also received approval to move from the West Tisbury School to the Agricultural Hall, with the facility seeing a rise in test recipients in recent weeks.
Covid-19 cases have shot back up on Martha’s Vineyard, with health agents reporting 48 new positive tests during the first week in August, including three case clusters at Edgartown businesses.
