Following two weeks of lower hospitalizations and a drop in seven-day positivity rates, Gov. Charlie Baker eased capacity restrictions on businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, and gyms beginning Monday next week.
On Feb. 8, businesses that were restricted to 25 percent capacity after Christmas will be allowed to have up to 40 percent capacity. In addition to restaurants, retail, and gyms, other businesses allowed to go to 40 percent capacity include driving schools, libraries, and museums. Movie theaters will also be allowed 40 percent capacity, but are limited to 50 people per theater.
Capacity for offices, houses of worship, hair salons will also rise from 25 percent to 40 percent
“We know that these restrictions have been and continue to be enormously difficult for large and small businesses, their employees and for individuals everywhere. But we’re making progress in this battle against COVID and everyone’s hard work and prep is making it possible to continue a step back to what we might call a new normal,” Baker said at a press conference Thursday. Indoor performances and indoor recreation will remain closed.
The state’s gathering limits — 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors — will remain in effect.
Hospital releases vaccine data
In addition to its COVID-19 data, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital released updated COVID-19 vaccine information.
The hospital is coordinating the Island’s vaccine rollout. As of Wednesday, the hospital has vaccinated 435 of its employees. Additionally 657 individuals have been vaccinated in the state’s phase one rollout which includes first responders and non-COVID facing healthcare workers.
The hospital has administered 235 doses for individuals under phase two of the rollout (individuals 75 years and older). On Wednesday, 149 individuals under phase two were vaccinated. In total 235 phase two individuals have been vaccinated.
Phase two, which began on Feb. 1, includes and begins with individuals 75 years and older. Hospital patients can sign up through Patient Gateway. Non-hospital patients can fill out an attestation form from the state’s website. Visit mass.gov/lists/covid-19-vaccine-attestation-form-translations to access the form.
After outrage over the complicated online sign-ups, Gov. Charlie Baker has promised to add a call center, but as of Wednesday he said it was coming “this week.”
The hospital expects to vaccinate 570 individuals by Friday.
The Island boards of health reported four new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday — three from Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and one from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).
The hospital has conducted 12,669 tests for COVID-19 since March. Of those, 597 have tested positive, 12,003 negative, and 69 are pending results.
There are currently three patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Two are in “good condition,” and one who was admitted on Tuesday is in “fair condition.”
As of Wedneday, TestMV has conducted 31,864 tests since June. Of those, 243 have tested positive, 30,520 negative, and 1,101 are pending results.
One new probable case over the weekend brought the Island’s total to 50 since March.
The town of Aquinnah has conducted 409 tests, of which one has come back positive, 405 negative and three pending results.
The Martha’s Vineyard public schools have tested 2,808 individuals. As of Feb. 1, there have been three positive cases. The public school data is updated once a week.
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) reported a new case Wednesday, for a total of seven positive cases of COVID-19.
Due to how tests are conducted, there can be a discrepancy between the number of positive individuals and the number of positive tests reported.
The vast majority of COVID-19 cases have been reported since the end of October, when the Island’s first cluster of cases was linked to a wedding in October. Since then, the Island has seen 759 cases of COVID-19 — several times the 89 cases reported on the Island between when testing began in March.
In addition to the wedding cluster, which reported eight cases, clusters at Cronig’s Market, with 19 cases, and a Bible study group, with 11 cases, have also been reported.
On the state level Wednesday, there were 2,186 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state’s seven-day average of percent positivity continues to drop and is now at 3.30 percent — a steep decline from 8 percent high in early January. There are an estimated 64,431 active cases statewide. There were 53 new deaths, for a total of 14,415 COVID-19 deaths since March.
He needs to go. Restaurants account for a tiny percentage of Covid cases. The majority of cases come from families stuck at home! Sorry restaurant owner, Covid is a big football fan and would invade all your establishments on Sunday but will probably be taking Monday off except for my daughters school, Covid will be there on Monday so she must learn remotely and have a couple of hours of learning rather than a full day.