Community vaccine rollout could begin next month
Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton has not turned away patients and is offering all non-COVID-19 related services, such as elective surgeries, with only rare exceptions, a hospital official said. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
By JACQUELYN VOGHEL
HADLEY Cooley Dickinson Health Care officials signaled last week that community rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is likely to begin in early to mid-February and last for six months.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital has administered around 1,100 first doses of the vaccine in the first phase of the vaccination rollout, with 380 people having also received the second of the two doses, reported Dr. Estevan Garcia, chief medical officer at Cooley Dickinson Health Care. The first phase includes health care providers who work directly with patients, long-term care facilties and health care workers in non-COVID-19 facing care.
HADLEY A virtual question and answer session with local and regional experts on COVID-19 takes place Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The COVID Q&A, a joint meeting of the Board of Health and Select Board, will feature two participants from Cooley Dickinson.
Hadley schools switch back to remote learning until winter break
Gabby Jones Gabby Jones
Modified: 12/18/2020 4:26:45 PM
HADLEY Hadley public schools are in a fully remote learning model for the final three days before winter break as a result of a rise in COVID-19 cases in Hampshire County.
While the two-week positivity rate in Hadley is at just under 2.4%, based on 24 positives out of 1,006 tests, the countywide positivity rate has gone over 3%, a marker set by the School Committee as prompting a return to online-only instruction.
Classes at both Hadley Elementary School and Hopkins Academy were taught virtually Friday, and will be again on Monday and Tuesday.