EASTHAM — For the past month, clinics across Cape Cod have been offering free measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations. Measles — which had been eliminated in the U.S. in […]
Health & Healthcare
PUBLIC HEALTH
Hepatitis Case at Restaurant Provokes Wide Alert
Cases can appear even when strict rules are followed, says health board chair
This article was updated on May 29, 2025. PROVINCETOWN — On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff of summer on Cape Cod, an alert went out from […]
HEALTH CARE
Budget Cuts Could Cost MassHealth $2 Billion Per Year
Medicaid is vital to OCHS — but a state bill could help steady the books
PROVINCETOWN — A 10-year budget resolution that could strip up to $880 billion from Medicaid passed the U.S. House in February, raising the prospect of large cuts in the MassHealth […]
MENTAL HEALTH
Healey Pauses Pocasset Closure After Local Pushback
Governor’s plan still cuts number of mental health case managers in half
BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey has put plans to close the Pocasset Mental Health Center in Bourne on hold after facing bipartisan opposition from families, local officials, mental health advocates, […]
HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Navigating Abortion Care on the Outer Cape
National anti-abortion efforts have an effect on local access
PROVINCETOWN — Despite Massachusetts laws protecting access to abortion, logistical and institutional barriers persist for Outer Cape residents seeking care. Most abortions in the U.S. today are early in pregnancy: […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Outer Cape Prepares for Federal Ruling on HIV Prevention Meds
Public health leaders focus on shoring up state support and private donations
PROVINCETOWN — When Jeff Schaffer learned in January that the Supreme Court would hear a case that threatened coverage of lifesaving HIV-prevention medications, he was not surprised. Schaffer, a registered nurse […]
CUTTING CARE
Mental Health Center Closing Would Ripple Across Cape, Officials Say
State budget cuts would affect access to the Cape’s only inpatient psychiatric care
Editor’s note: Because of a production error, the last section of this article did not appear in the print version of the Feb. 13 edition. The full text of the […]
H5N1
Avian Flu Is Spreading, Affecting Wild Birds Most
Waterfowl hit hardest, with poultry and pets at risk; more surveillance underway
WELLFLEET — If you feel like you’ve been noticing a lot of dead birds lately, you’re not alone. According to State Ornithologist Andrew Vitz, we are in the midst of […]
BLOODSUCKERS
Ticks — and Their Diseases — Are a Winter Problem, Too
Adult deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are most active in colder months
WELLFLEET — Life on Cape Cod includes ticks — and increasingly, tick-borne diseases. According to the state Dept. of Public Health, 113 people on Cape Cod were diagnosed with illnesses […]
PERTUSSIS
A Resurgence of Whooping Cough Reaches Cape
Boosters are recommended for adults living with infants
TRURO — Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough for the piercing inhalations or “whoops” that punctuate its painful coughing attacks, has re-emerged in New England this year after four […]
MENTAL HEALTH
ARPA-Funded Behavioral Health Clinician Serves the Outer Cape
Short-term counseling is free, designed as a bridge to longer-term care
EASTHAM — Even in the best of circumstances, accessing mental and behavioral health care can become a Herculean journey. The country’s mental health care system is byzantine, there are rarely […]
PARENTING
Piecing Together Postpartum Care on the Outer Cape
Nurses, doulas, and support groups provide reassurance and company
TRURO — On a Thursday morning in early December, Rana O’Laughlin arrives at Jelena Duarte’s house, greeted by Pickle the cat and Duarte’s 18-month-old daughter, Vera. The atmosphere is subdued, […]
MENTAL HEALTH
ARPA-Funded Behavioral Health Clinician Serves the Outer Cape
Short-term counseling is free, designed as a bridge to longer-term care
EASTHAM — Even in the best of circumstances, accessing mental and behavioral health care can become a Herculean journey. The country’s mental health care system is byzantine, there are rarely […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Officials Want Handlers of Rabid Raccoon to Seek Care
If tests show the animal was from here, wild animals will be vaccinated in spring
EASTHAM — A dead raccoon that turned up on Smith Lane with a face full of porcupine quills on Nov. 17 tested positive for raccoon variant rabies — a variant […]
HEALTH CARE
Deadline Looms for Blue Cross Medicare Clients
Patients can still pay ‘out-of-network’ rates at Outer Cape Health
WELLFLEET — As the Dec. 7 deadline to change Medicare Advantage plans approaches, over 500 patients of Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS) must decide whether to choose a new plan […]
