IPSWICH — Director of Public Health Colleen Fermon is urging residents to remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19 as the community remains at a high risk designation for the disease.
According to public health data released on Thursday, Jan. 7, the Town’s designation remains at “red” indicating a “high risk” of spread in the community. The average daily incidence rate for the Town of Ipswich is 45.3 per 100,000 residents, up from 44.2 last week.
There are currently 61 active cases of COVID-19 in the community, and there have been a total of 418 cases in Ipswich since the start of the pandemic. Over the past two weeks, 5.7% of all tests for COVID-19 have returned positive in Ipswich.
“It’s imperative that residents avoid holding or attending indoor social gatherings as we work to reduce the spread,” Public Health Director Fermon said. “”We knew following the holidays there could be a significant rise in cases, and unfortunately we are seeing that come to fruition. Please, take care to protect yourself, your household and our community from this disease.”
Residents are strongly encouraged to avoid high risk activities, especially indoor social gatherings, and all Massachusetts residents are under orders from the Governor to wear masks at all times while in public.
Additionally, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that temporary capacity and gathering limits put in place on Dec. 26 will be extended to Jan. 24. This includes restaurants, office spaces, retail businesses, places of worship and fitness and health clubs. To view the full list of restrictions and limits, click here.
Additional COVID-19 prevention tips from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health include:
- Remember that an infected individual can spread COVID-19 before they have symptoms, which is why social distancing, maintaining a minimum of 6 feet from others, is critical.
- Those who must go out are urged to:
- Avoid gathering in groups
- Maintain six feet from people outside your household
- Do not shake hands or hug
- Wash your hands often
- Those who are at a high risk for COVID-19, including those over the age of 65 and with underlying health conditions, are advised to stay home and avoid non-essential tasks and errands
- Wear a mask in indoor and outdoor spaces at all times.
- Face coverings should:
- Cover the nose and mouth
- Fit snugly and comfortably against the side of the face
- Be secured with either ties or ear loops
- Permit breathing without difficulty
- Be able to be washed and machine dried without damage. Face masks should be washed regularly depending on the amount of use.
For more information about COVID-19 prevention and symptoms, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website here and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website here.
For the latest COVID-19 updates for the Town of Ipswich, visit https://ipswichcovid19.com/.
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