Barnstable COVID-19 Numbers Remain Steady As MA Sees Rebound

BARNSTABLE, MA — It appeared as if COVID-19 had bottomed out, not just here but across Massachusetts.

But COVID-19 is back, and while the pandemic's darkest days are still far behind us, there are shades of 2020 beginning to emerge.

The town of Barnstable's low numbers have stayed that way. There have only been 13 reported cases in town in the last two weeks, down from 15 cases the state Department of Public Health showed in last week's report. The 14-day positive test rate also saw a slight drop from 1.5 to 1 percent. The average daily incidence rate dropped from 2.4 to 2.1.

Massachusetts reported 477 cases yesterday — the highest since before Gov. Charlie Baker replaced the mask mandate with an advisory.

Cambridge yesterday joined Provincetown and Nantucket in re-issuing mask advisories amid an uptick in cases.

There is no indication Barnstable is considering a mask advisory, town Health Director Thomas McKean said.

"At this time, there are no plans to adopt regulations or requirements which would be more stringent than the existing State requirements currently in place," McKean said. "Face coverings continue to be required at medical offices and at all public transportation venues (planes, ships, buses, taxis, etc). It should be noted that our public health nurse and contract nurse continue to contact those who are newly infected each day, issue isolation orders as well as require close contacts to quarantine."

Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday the state isn't planning on changing any COVID rules.

Seventy-seven percent of Barnstable residents have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

While "breakthrough" cases are still happening — more than 40 percent of Cambridge's confirmed cases this month were of fully vaccinated people — severe cases are almost exclusively happening to people who are unvaccinated.