The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Island boards of health put out a joint statement Sunday, calling urgently for renewed vigilance and strict safety protocols.

The health and economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are causing increased demand for supplemental food on Martha’s Vineyard, according to a report from the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Rural Health Scholars program.

Vineyard voters go to the polls Tuesday to help decide the most watched presidential election in history. Nearly half the Island’s registered voters have already cast ballots.

Polling stations in all six Island towns will be open for in-person voting on Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. All voters are required to adhere to pandemic safety regulations. Masks and social distancing are mandatory.

A coronavirus case cluster that has contributed to an overall spike in Covid-19 patients on Island this week continues to expand.