Charting the Epidemic
To the editor:
Sunday, June 21, marked the 100th day of the Covid-19 epidemic on Cape Cod. The first confirmed case was reported on March 14 and the first death 10 days later, on March 24. During that interval, the virus has infected more than 1,500 Barnstable County residents and has caused nearly 140 deaths in the county.
After imposing severe restrictions on the state’s economy in mid-March, Gov. Charlie Baker began “reopening the economy” on May 18. Justification for this action is found in statewide counts of new daily Covid-19 cases and deaths, which have shown a progressive and consistent decline since mid-April.
Spread of the disease in the commonwealth has continued its downward trend despite the reopening. Although spread of the disease in Barnstable County has not declined as definitively as in Massachusetts as a whole, the indicators of countywide spread have not shown any dramatic recent increase.
County and state data can be viewed together for comparison in a series of graphical displays I have put online at capecovid.com. Four charts show daily counts of new cases and new deaths in Barnstable County, while others show similar data for Massachusetts as a whole.
These day-by-day portrayals of the spread of Covid-19 are more detailed than other maps and charts available online. Consequently, they are better able to provide early warning of adverse trends resulting from reopening.
Ronald A. Gabel, M.D.
Yarmouth Port
More Cape Art Classes
To the editor:
Thank you for Saskia Keller’s excellent article on how Outer Cape arts institutions are delivering class offerings [“Charting Courses on the Outer Cape,” page B10, June 18].
One additional group providing classes is the Cape School of Art (capeschoolofart.org).
The Cape School of Art traces its lineage to Charles Webster Hawthorne, who began teaching outdoor figure painting in 1899. Hawthorne’s school and its methods were later assumed by Henry Hensche, who continued the school’s approach to the twin themes of light and color until his death in 1992.
Until this year, the school offered a full rota of classes, most of which were conducted outdoors, maintaining the plein air tradition. Currently, the school is planning offerings for August, September, and October. The final schedule will soon be posted on the school’s web site.
Charlie Nichols
Provincetown
Editor’s note: Saskia Keller examines Charles Webster Hawthorne’s painting His First Voyage in her article on page B5 of this week’s issue.
