An epidemiologist studying how the Vineyard has fared over the past 15 months said the low death tally is more than a statistical anomaly.
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.
New cases of Covid-19 shot up over 100 last week, surpassing August peak numbers and matching the infection rate of last April. The Island boards of health reported that 105 people had received positive PCR tests for the coronavirus during the week ending Dec. 11.
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.
Covid-19 cases on the Vineyard spiked sharply upward last week, with Island boards of health reporting 76 confirmed cases over a seven-day period from Nov. 28 through Dec. 4. Another 19 cases were reported for Sunday and Monday.
A medically equipped bus offering free vaccines and booster shots will return to the Island next weekend, the Island boards of health announced.
With the impact of the new Omicron variant still unknown, cases of Covid-19 on the Island are back on the upswing, with 48 more people confirmed positive for the virus in just five days.
