Eugene DeFelice gets a booster shot earlier this week.
Ray Ewing

Covid Cases Spike on-Island; Booster Shots in High Demand

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.

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.

“We were expecting to see an uptick in the numbers when the holidays came, and our numbers are way up,” Tisbury health agent Maura Valley said in a phone interview Thursday. “I think we’re beginning to see the holiday surge.”

Cases had been climbing slowly on the Vineyard since early November. In their weekly report issued Monday, the Island boards of health said that in the week ending Saturday, Nov. 27, 19 people had received positive PCR tests for Covid-19 and three more had tested positive in over-the-counter tests.

Eighteen of the cases were in people who were fully vaccinated, and six of the 19 cases were part of a cluster at an unidentified construction site. Tradesmen from two different companies were affected, Ms. Valley said, adding that no new cases had been linked to that cluster.

But following Thanksgiving, from Sunday through Thursday, case numbers shot up with 48 more people confirmed to have the virus through PCR tests and nine more considered probable based on over-the-counter tests, according to the boards of health. The case spike mirrored the trend statewide, where 4,838 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday alone.

Ms. Valley said the boards of health have not been given new guidance from the state since the emergence internationally of the Omicron variant. As of Thursday, only two cases of the variant had been identified in the United States.

“We really don’t have enough information to make any informed decisions right now,” she said. “We’re just waiting for guidance from the Department of Public Health.”

Vaccines for the coronavirus, including third dose booster shots, are being made available by appointment at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. A new batch of appointments is released each Friday at 4 p.m. on the hospital’s online scheduling platform at https://covidvaccine.massgeneralbrigham.org. First and second-dose vaccines are available for anyone five years of age and older; people 18 and older are eligible for third dose booster shots.

As of Tuesday, 14,776 people had been vaccinated at the hospital and 2,793 had been given a third booster shot.

Ms. Valley urged people to get vaccinated, get a booster when eligible and wear masks when in public places.

“I am concerned with the holiday parties and social events,” she said. “I think people assume these events are safe and that is not necessarily the case. It just makes sense to take precautions.”

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/03/2021 - 07:07

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Yeager Round Resident Edgartown

… I cannot get my booster because I cannot find an appointment. Is this problem, a lack of boosters, going to be fixed anytime soon?

Dan West Tis

A medically equipped bus offering free vaccines and booster shots will return to the Island next weekend, the Island boards of health announced.

The bus will be parked at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 12.

Covid-19 vaccines will be available for children ages 5 and older and booster shots will be available for adults.

Advance registration is required at home.color.com/vaccine/register/yankeeline.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/03/2021 - 08:27

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Mary

I was able to schedule a Covid booster on CVS.COM quickly & easily for the next day at the CVS on Davis Straights Rd. It just a supply/demand issue.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/03/2021 - 09:54

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Jeff A.

I’ve been trying to schedule a booster for a few weeks now with no luck. The website never has any openings. Not sure what to do.

Dan West Tis

A medically equipped bus offering free vaccines and booster shots will return to the Island next weekend, the Island boards of health announced.

The bus will be parked at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 12.

Covid-19 vaccines will be available for children ages 5 and older and booster shots will be available for adults.

Advance registration is required at home.color.com/vaccine/register/yankeeline.

Jeff A

Thank you everyone for your help and information. When the first vaccination rolled out there was so much helpful information about when new appointments would become available etc. and I hadn’t seen any similar information for this round.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/03/2021 - 17:35

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Marie Laursen VH

I too had to go off-island to get a booster. In light of the fact that our hospital has rural care status and serves many elderly/ immunocompromised patients, it is unconscionable that we have a chronic shortage of appointments available. I think the hospital owes this community an explanation as to why they are unable to fully serve this population who wants to do the right thing by getting vaccinated. It is time to step up to the plate, MVH.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/03/2021 - 22:16

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Jay Brennan Menemsha

So, how many boosters do you think we will have to take since we know the efficacy of the vaccine antibodies don’t last very long? Will we be taking boosters the rest of our lives.

Jackie Chilmark and NYC

Do we get a flu shot every year? Do we get our teeth cleaned every 6 months? Do we women get a yearly mammogram? Sometimes, once is not enough.

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