COVID-19 Update
from State Representative Lucy Weber

I don’t usually report this often, but the situation seems to be changing rapidly.  Last night (October 14) there were 4 more COVID cases reported in Cheshire County.  This means that we have had 12 new reported cases in the last 7 days, October 8-14, as compared to 4 new cases reported from October 1-7.

More importantly, a look at the map of active cases shows that Walpole, Surry and Marlow have joined Westmoreland, Keene, Swanzey, Jaffrey and Rindge as municipalities with active cases.  And of course, these are only the cases where there has been a positive test.  As we know, many persons infected by the virus are without symptoms, but they are still able to transmit the disease to others.  Undoubtedly some of those cases are local.

For any of us who have started to feel secure in our own local bubble, know that we must go back to taking care, all the time, and with all our encounters.  And of course, the precautions from 100 years ago are still the best protection.

Wear your mask-even when keeping your distance; keep your distance-even when wearing a mask; wash your hands; and keep well.

Lucy

A Facebook reader asked: What is being done for contact tracing for the one active case? Haven’t seen anything advising where said person has been, which allows others to know whether they should get tested.

And, here is Lucy’s explanation: Contact tracing is done confidentially unless there is an indication that there might have been untraceable contact in a public place such as a church or restaurant bar.  The numbers for schools and nursing homes are given on state web sites. Otherwise, all possible precautions are taken to protect the privacy of the infected individual.