WELLFLEET — Less than one week after the board of health issued a “code red” mask order, the number of Covid-19 cases in town has doubled.
There were 31 active cases, Health Agent Hillary Greenberg-Lemos wrote in an email to the Independent on Tuesday, Oct.12. The total number of new cases in all of Barnstable County was reported to be 375 for the two-week period ending Oct. 11.
Fifteen cases of the virus infection were reported during an emergency board of health meeting on Oct. 7, at which the board voted to impose the new mask order.
“We have a lot of cases and I am getting worried,” Greenberg-Lemos said during the meeting.
The mask order that went into effect on Friday, Oct. 8 requires all people, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask or cloth face covering indoors and outdoors as well in gatherings of more than 100 people, or in an outdoor public space where social distancing cannot be maintained. The board of health was planning to reassess the mandate at a remote meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Last week, the Wellfleet Elementary School had eight active Covid cases, which sent more than 20 students into quarantine, according to Greenberg-Lemos. Calls and emails requesting updated information were not returned by Principal Mary Beth Rodman before this week’s deadline.
A pop-up testing clinic was planned for Oct. 13, offering free PCR testing at the elementary school. Some of those who tested positive last week had taken BinaxNOW rapid tests, available at Wellfleet Town Hall.
“Something troubles me with the Binax testing we have,” said Greenberg-Lemos. “I think folks are taking them and are not following up with the PCR if they’re positive.”
A positive Binax antigen test must be followed by a supervised PCR test, she explained.
Wellfleet Elementary quickly mobilized a test-and-stay program because of the Covid spike, Greenberg-Lemos said during the emergency meeting. Students who weren’t in close contact with someone who tested positive get tested every morning and stay in school if the test is negative.
The spike in cases coincided with Oyster Week, running from Saturday, Oct. 2 to Saturday, Oct. 9, which replaced the traditional OysterFest. Three hundred people, all unmasked, gathered at a bonfire to start off the celebration. Another 200 tickets were sold for an outdoor oyster and wine event at the galleries on Commercial Street the following Saturday, board of health chair Janet Drohan told the Independent following the meeting. Masks were required at that event.
“At the same time we’re trying to do the right thing, we’re also asking people to come out and be together,” Drohan said.
