Town Manager Anthony Marino and Public Health Director Colleen Fermon provide the following important announcements for residents about navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Town moves into the third year of this pandemic, the Public Health Department is moving away from public health emergency response and towards a model of risk reduction and personal responsibility.
Most COVID-19 cases will not be contacted by the Public Health Department. Additionally, close contact notifications will fall to the individual cases, especially since home testing is growing in popularity. Guidance for identifying close contacts can be viewed here.
Residents DO NOT have to contact the Public Health Department should a home test show a positive COVID-19 result. Residents may contact the Public Health Department at 978-356-6606 with questions or concerns.
Isolation and quarantine guidance for the general population can be found at the Ipswich COVID-19 Resource page and the State’s COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine page.
Workers in schools, childcare and certain health-care settings have specific isolation and quarantine standards for returning to their workplaces, as do children returning to school or childcare. These standards apply to their specific setting ONLY. All individuals must follow isolation and quarantine guidance for the general population when outside of those settings.
Vaccinations and masking are risk reduction tools that will help keep residents safe. Vaccinations have been proven to reduce the risk of infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
The Town has discontinued its weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Residents who wish to receive a vaccination or booster shot are encouraged to reach out to their local health-care professional, the state’s VaxFinder site, or the Greater Cape Ann Community Collaborative site for clinic options.
In addition to being up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, consistently wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator in indoor public settings protects against COVID-19 infections; a respirator provides the best protection.