PROVINCETOWN, Mass. (WPRI) — Barnstable County health officials are monitoring positive COVID-19 infections involving fully vaccinated people who visited Provincetown for Independence Day festivities.
Town Manager Alex Morse said on Facebook Monday Provincetown has seen a “handful” of new coronavirus cases in the past few days. The Barnstable County Department of Health said there have been 20 to 25 positive cases from last week, according to Boston 25 News.
Morse stated on Facebook, “a number of cases being reported are breakthrough cases,” and that the town is in touch with the Health Department and Outer Cape Health Services closely monitoring the data. He also noted nearly all of Provincetown’s year-round and part-time residents are fully vaccinated.
Tufts Medical Center epidemiologist and infectious disease expert Dr. Shira Doron told Boston 25 the cases are something to watch but not panic about, but because the town is one the Cape’s most popular destinations for tourists, there is also the possibility for more cases to arise.
“When you have a very highly immunized population, as is the case with P-Town, and then you have travelers that may be coming from areas that are less well-immunized and maybe even hotspots… that’s going to bring in more infection,” Doron said.
She also stressed that if you’re vaccinated and get infected, you’re more likely to develop less severe symptoms.
“If you’re vaccinated, you have fulfilled your biggest obligation to public health, and you may choose to go to a crowded bar or nightclub, even though there is some risk is involved in that,” Doron said. “It is not zero and it’s never going to be zero because COVID is here to stay.”
