On Wednesday morning, December 28, a construction worker pulled painter’s tape off of the gymnasium floor of Sandwich’s upcoming Center for Active Living, revealing a crisp blue line along the
Cape health officials say a perfect storm of variants and pandemic fatigue contributed to a third wave of COVID-19 cases that filled area hospital beds and closed the doors of the Cape s largest school system for over a week this spring.
By mid-March, the towns of Barnstable and Yarmouth had the highest positivity rates in the state. At one point Barnstable s positivity rate was
10.20%
, more than five times the state average. Areas of the Cape continue to remain in the state s highest-risk red zone.
While case numbers are dropping, Cape officials fear next week s April school vacation week will create another surge as families travel and visit with friends and relatives.
The Sandwich School District is looking to delay its plan to bring Sandwich High School and STEM Academy students back into the classroom full time this month.
Instead, at the recommendation of Health Agent David Mason, Town Nurse Joanne Geake, Fire Chief John J. Burke, and school nurse supervisor Nicola Bordelon, the district is applying to the state for a waiver that would postpone the move by almost a month, to May 17.
The waiver is to the state Department of Educationâs mandate that districts bring all middle school students back into the buildings by April 28.
The district had initially decided to bring middle and high school students back in on April 26, but Dr. Gould said that decision was made before the most-recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the town, as well as among students.
SANDWICH As a leader, you ve got to lead from the front, Sandwich Police Chief Peter Wack said.
Wack was the first person to receive a shot of the Moderna vaccine during a Monday clinic for Upper Cape first responders at the Sandwich Human Services building.
Police and firefighters don’t have the luxury of sequestering themselves during the pandemic, as they routinely enter people’s homes, Wack said.
The goal is to vaccinate “a large majority of the population so we can end this virus once and for all,” the chief said.
Sandwich Assistant Town Manager Heather B. Harper said the clinic dispensed 90 first doses of the two-shot Moderna vaccine Monday. By the end of the day Wednesday, it is expected that 250 first doses will have been delivered.