A COVID Pause
I would like to thank the community of Lyme for their thoughtful response to the COVID pandemic during the past 15 months. You have been diligent in following mitigation recommendations and 70% of the total population of Lyme has stepped up to become fully vaccinated, according to recent statistics from the state.
On Wednesday, June 30th the State’s Emergency Operations Center will officially return to Steady State and will no longer be staffed for COVID-19 response. The Joint Information Center will close and the Dept. of Health and Human Services will respond directly to all COVID media inquiries. In addition, the fixed vaccine sites (like JC Penny) will close. Anyone wanting a COVID vaccine will go to their healthcare professional, drugstore, etc. Regional Public Health Networks including the Upper Valley Regional PH Network will continue to hold vaccine clinics at the request of communities, businesses, etc.
On Thursday June 24th the Lyme Covid Response team was suspended until further notice. This team of dedicated community members representing the majority of service organizations in Lyme met weekly during the past year+ to assure a free flow of accurate and timely information to the community. Special thanks to our emergency response members in Fire, Police and FAST squad; Health Officer, Public Information Officer, Selectboard and town Administration, CommunityCare of Lyme, Food Pantry, Lyme Parish Nurse, Lyme Congregational Church, the Lyme School, Converse Free Library, Crossroads Academy, Lyme Nursery School, and the PTO.
COVID is not gone but as the summer and vaccinations progress we find ourselves in a lull that has been marked by decreasing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The presence of the delta variant, first noted in India, is becoming the dominant variant in many countries and its numbers are increasing in the US as well, primarily among those who are unvaccinated. Although across the country mitigation steps have been relaxed or removed and for the most part justified by the high efficacy rates of vaccines, it is important to keep in mind that the vaccines are not 100% effective. The more uncertain you are about the vaccine status of the people around you, particularly if you are unvaccinated or more vulnerable (for example, a compromised immune system), the more likely you are to benefit from continuing with the mitigation steps of wearing masks, 6’ distancing and hand hygiene in public and in enclosed spaces.
Wishing you a safe and healthy summer!
Lyme Emergency Operations Center