May 18, 2022 By Carol Britton Meyer
The Centers for Disease Control determined last Thursday that Plymouth County's COVID-19 level is currently "high," Hingham Town Administrator Tom Mayo told the Select Board Tuesday night.
"In my report last Tuesday [May 10], I noted that Hingham’s COVID-19 numbers were up significantly and that this may trigger new protocols in the coming days," he said.
That being the case, Mayo explained that CDC guidelines for communities in the "high" category recommend:
- Wearing a well-fitting face mask indoors in public places regardless of vaccination status.
- Staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
- Following the CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine.
- Getting tested for those who have been exposed.
Last Friday, the Select Board's office informed the community of the CDC’s determination and its recommendations through the town website and postings on town buildings.
"We’ve also reactivated the COVID-19 'dashboard' on our 'COVID-19 Updates' webpage," Mayo said. "Going forward, we will update the dashboard on Mondays before noon."
During the two-week period from April 24 through May 7, Hingham’s 14-day average incidence rate was 42.3, up from 30.4, or a 39 percent increase from the prior two-week timeframe.
"We believe that some of the drivers for this increase include vacation spikes and testing due to travel plans and the removal of the mask mandate on public transportation and airlines," Mayo explained.
The CDC looks at a combination of three metrics to measure COVID 19 levels in Plymouth County. This data is updated weekly, on Thursdays, based on new admissions and in-patient bed metrics and also on the current level of new cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days.
"We remain vigilant and will continue to monitor data and take coordinated action as needed," Mayo said.