Feb. 5, 2021 by Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham remains in the medium-risk COVID-19 "yellow" zone for the third week in a row, with 72 new cases since the Jan. 28 Massachusetts Department of Health report was posted. Last week, 105 new cases were reported since the Jan. 21 report. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Hingham since Jan. 1, 2020 is 1,419.
Hingham has fluctuated between the high-risk "red" and lower-risk "yellow" categories in varying degrees over the past several weeks.
The COVID-19 vaccination is not available to the general public at this time, but as more information becomes available it will be shared with the community.
On Tuesday the town released a COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration form for individuals 75 years of age and older who live or work in Hingham.
"Once someone pre-registers with the town, they will be added to our list," Town Administrator Tom Mayo said at this week's selectmen's meeting. "The town will follow the state’s prioritization process for vaccines, with people 75 years and older eligible first in Phase 2." The vaccine pre-registration form for that age group is posted on the town website at hingham-ma.gov/COVID19.
Mayo thanked residents for their patience as town officials work through the vaccine process. "Many of the guidelines and vaccine distribution capabilities are controlled by the state," he said. "We encourage all residents to continue to follow the official COVID-19 website for the most up-to-date information." This page can be found by visiting mass.gov and clicking on the COVID-19 link.
The mPathy COVID-19 testing site at 308 Cushing St. is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. The 7 to 10 a.m. slots each testing day are reserved for Town of Hingham residents and employees. After 10 a.m., appointments are available to the general public. Visit mpathy.org/schedule to schedule an appointment.
Reminders:
* The Hingham Health Department posts weekly COVID-19 data from the MDPH and the Hingham Public Schools in a dashboard that is updated every Friday at https://www.hingham-ma.gov/860/COVID-19-Updates. All cases are laboratory-confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.
* Visit https://www.hingham-ma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=940 for Updated COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance.