August 25, 2021 by Carol Britton Meyer
There has been an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases in Hingham, according to Town Administrator Tom Mayo in a report to the Select Board last night.
"The most recent Massachusetts Department of Public Health data published on August 19 indicates a total of 36 new COVID-19 cases reported in Hingham in the two weeks prior," he said. "By comparison, there were five total cases reported in the month of June."
At the same time, more than 70 percent of Hingham residents were fully vaccinated (compared to approximately 66 percent statewide) as of last week.
"If you look at only vaccine-eligible individuals in town (those ages 12 and up), the percent of fully-vaccinated eligible residents rises to 83 percent," Mayo said.
He also noted that the Hingham Health Department is again publishing dashboards on the town website with information on local cases and vaccination rates.
Additional Vaccine Doses
On August 13, the Centers for Disease Control recommended a third dose of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for certain individuals who have moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or who receive immunosuppressive medications or treatments, Mayo reported.
These conditions and treatments include but are not limited to:
* Active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
* Organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
* Stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
* Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
* Advanced or untreated HIV infection
* Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress one's immune response
Mayo encouraged those who meet the criteria for moderate to severe immune compromise to contact their primary health care provider or to call the state’s In-Home Vaccination Central Intake Line at (833) 983-0485 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
"There is currently no recommendation for immune compromised individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to receive an additional dose," Mayo said.