Editor’s note: This is the town of Hopkinton’s COVID-19 update for April 30.
COVID-19 Updates and Precautions
April 30 update
Previous updates and additional information and resources can be found here:
coronavirus-hopkintonma.hub.arcgis.com/
As of April 29, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 1,032 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 46 of those cases are active, with 970 recoveries and 17 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard, which is updated frequently.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Weekly Public Health Report — NEW UPDATE
The Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report includes enhanced, more granular information to be updated on a weekly or biweekly basis, including town-by-town case and testing information, cases and deaths in long-term care facilities, updates on nursing facility audit results and more. mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-april-29-2021/download
A reminder that many data points previously included in this report can now be found on the Massachusetts interactive dashboard: mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Report — NEW UPDATE
The Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Report includes the most currently available information on vaccines shipped and administered, as well as more granular information by geography, demographic factors and more. mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-vaccination-report-april-29-2021/download
2021 Annual Town Meeting — NEW DETAILS ADDED
Annual Town Meeting will be held on Saturday May 8, at 9 a.m. Annual Town Meeting will be held outside, behind Hopkinton Middle School, on the football field. There will be one large tent, able to accommodate 400 people with socially distanced seating. Families, or those residing in the same household, will not be exempt from the socially distanced seating arrangements, so we ask for your cooperation in not moving or relocating chairs. Face coverings will be required at all times by everyone in attendance. Initial parking will be behind the water tanks with overflow in front of the high school. Check-in will be located by the concession stand, with access gained by walking down the access road off the back side of the parking lot. Handicap parking will be delineated with cones and located behind the water tanks with golf cart assistance available for those with mobility issues. There may be periods when voters will have to wait in areas not protected from any adverse weather, please be prepared with anything to protect from the elements. Members of the Hopkinton Emergency Management Team and public safety will be on hand to usher and direct residents for parking and registration. Additional documentation can be found on Hopkinton’s ATM2021 webpage: hopkintonma.gov/eGovernment1/atm2021.php
Hopkinton Vaccine Metrics — NEW UPDATE
As of the most recent data available from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), and the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS), dated April 27, 86.4% of Hopkinton residents aged 20+ have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. For the age demographic of 65+, over 95% of those Hopkinton residents have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
DESE Quarantine Guidance in Public Schools — NEW UPDATE
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has handed down new guidance relating to quarantining, namely:
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, and other students or staff members were within 3-6 feet of that individual for at least 15 minutes while both parties were masked while in a classroom or on the bus, the exposed students and staff members are still considered to be “close contacts” of the COVID-19+ case.
The school district will notify the student’s family or the staff member that they were a “close contact” of the COVID-19+ case; however, the student or staff member does not have to quarantine. Any “close contact” student or staff member who remains symptom free may continue to attend school, but they must also:
(1) get tested
(2) actively monitor for symptoms
(3) implement the other key health and safety practices.
(Note: This new guidance does not apply to lunch, athletics or any out-of-school exposures.)
Regional Vaccine Clinic
The Hopkinton Health Department is part of the Metrowest-Westborough regional collaborative and will be offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the DoubleTree located at 5400 Computer Drive in Westborough. The dates and times of the clinic will vary. You can check availability by monitoring this link. Appointments will be added on a rolling basis. You must be a Hopkinton resident and eligible to receive a vaccine in Massachusetts (any individual aged 16+ is eligible) to book an appointment using this link.
This is the private link for Hopkinton:
home.color.com/vaccine/register/northborough?calendar=061d181b-7b58-417b-8874-c8fa990050ea
You may also sign up for notifications of last-minute appointments:
lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/GPvEmKZ/lastminute
Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine
As of Monday, April 19, all individuals aged 16+ are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts.
There are different ways to find a vaccine appointment:
● Preregister at VaccineSignUp.mass.gov to be notified when it’s your turn to schedule an appointment at a mass vaccination or regional collaborative location.
● Use VaxFinder.mass.gov to search for appointments at pharmacies, health care providers and other community locations.
Massachusetts Continued Reopening Plans
Effective April 30th, the Face Coverings Order will be relaxed for some outdoor settings. Face coverings will only be required outside in public when it is not possible to socially distance, and at other times required by sector-specific guidance. Face coverings will still be required at all times in indoor public places. Face coverings will also continue to be required at all times at events, whether held indoors or outdoors and whether held in a public space or private home, except for when eating or drinking.
At smaller gatherings in private homes, face coverings are recommended
Additional reopening plans and dates for May and August have been announced. For more information, visit mass.gov/reopening.
Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine
Following the CDC’s decision to resume use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine, all providers may resume administration of the J&J vaccine, effective immediately.
The pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Following a thorough safety review, including two meetings of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume.
Providers should review the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (vaccination providers) and Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers, which have been revised to include information about the risk of this rare type of blood clot, which has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
More in the CDC news release: cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/fda-cdc-lift-vaccine-use.html.
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Hopkinton Town Hall reopened to the public as of Aug. 10. Appointments are required due to the state’s COVID-19 limits on building occupancy: Click here for more information. All town departments are open for business and many transactions can be completed online. We are available via phone and email to assist during regular business hours. A full Town Directory can be found here. A box at the front door of Town Hall may be used to drop off correspondence, applications, etc., and they may also be mailed or emailed.
Please remember to practice social distancing, wear a face covering, wash your hands often, and be safe.
Hopkinton also posts frequently on social media. Our Twitter is the best place to keep up with all happenings Hopkinton. You don’t need an account to see our twitter feed: https://twitter.com/HopkintonMA
Complete list of Emergency Orders and Guidance from Mass.gov
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-state-of-emergency
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