Dukes County officials are shifting their approach to COVID vaccination messaging, as well as mask and social distancing signage, as restrictions in the commonwealth are loosened, and eventually will be lifted altogether.
Two weeks ago, Dukes County commissioners decided to embark on a COVID vaccination messaging campaign in collaboration with Barnstable and Nantucket counties.
But during a Dukes County Commission meeting Wednesday, officials acknowledged that restrictions regarding social distancing and mask wearing will soon be void for those who are fully vaccinated.
Starting on May 29, individuals who are fully vaccinated will be able to go largely unmasked in most places, apart from in certain public transit and in some medical facilities.
“A lot of the rules have changed since we last met, so necessary changes have to be made with the messaging,” commission chair Christine Todd said.
Todd said after the accelerated reopening timeline was announced, she met with the Cape Cod COVID Task Force to get a sense of how officials in Barnstable County felt about continuing with a messaging campaign that stressed the importance of getting vaccinated, and the required health precautions if someone is not vaccinated.
“All I heard was, if nothing else, an increased level of support and recognition of the importance of encouraging vaccination, especially because the masks are going to be coming off and people are going to be congregating without social distancing measures,” Todd said.
Commissioner Don Leopold said he thinks the target population for the advertising campaign has changed, and the county should be focusing more on “those who need access to the vaccine,” and less on “those who need to be convinced whether or not to get vaccinated.”
Commissioners also discussed the issue of signage on county-managed properties — particularly on State Beach.
Commissioner Keith Chatinover said he understands that the risk of outdoor transmission is low, and most folks in the county are already vaccinated, but he doesn’t see a problem with having signs posted at areas like beach-access paths, where social distancing would essentially be impossible.
“If the governor says something else, we can always just take the signs down, but I think it’s good to be doing something there. I think the signs at this point are more to remind people we are still in a pandemic, and COVID is still a thing,” Chatinover said.
He added that even though people might still not wear masks or social distance on the beach, signs would encourage people to be more responsible in areas that might be more risky, like in congested downtown areas, or even indoors.
The proposed signs currently suggest 12 feet of separation at the beach between parties, and six feet of separation between individuals while walking on access trails. The signs also stipulate that masks must be worn if people cannot social distance.
“Those are all great guidelines,” commissioner Peter Wharton said. “But the thing about people who come to the Island is they come from all over the country. Areas that are vaccinated, areas that aren’t, ages that are, ages that aren’t, people who are vulnerable, people who aren’t.”
With such a mixed population of seasonal visitors, Wharton said, it’s good to be on the safe side with the signage, but added that enforcement of any regulations on the beach will be essentially impossible.
Dukes County Register of Deeds Paulo DeOliveira said he doesn’t think implementing cautionary signage would be effective, particularly now that the state guidance is allowing folks who have been fully vaccinated to go maskless.
“I don’t know how much those signs cost, and you can put as many signs out as you want, but people are going to do whatever they want. As soon as Memorial Day weekend comes in, people are going to be ready to go outside. I think it’s a waste of money, but I understand,” DeOliveira said.
Dukes County manager Martina Thornton said the signs would cost at least a couple of hundred dollars in total, as she would need about 50 signs to post at various locations on State Beach and other county-run properties.
Todd suggested revisiting the idea of signage later on, and keeping the draft design for the signs as is.
“We will probably put those signs up, and half of them will be vandalized or taken down. We can always get signs if the restrictions look like they are going back in the other direction,” Todd said.
