Watch this video from Nantucket Magazine and Yellow Productions featuring portraits of NCH staff members. Read the full story from the July issue of Nantucket Magazine by clicking here.

The summer has arrived on Nantucket. As President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, I want to take this opportunity to praise the shared sacrifices the community has made since March to keep the coronavirus at bay, but also urge everyone on the island to stay vigilant in the weeks and months ahead.

On Monday, June 22, Nantucket Cottage Hospital reported the first new confirmed case of COVID-19 on the island in more than month, and we have had three more additional people test positive since then. I think this should be a reminder that as much as we want to be done with this virus, it is not yet done with us.

Now is the riskiest time for Nantucket, as we have not had a surge or significant caseload as other parts of the country have, and the island population is increasing. After the months of stay-at-home orders and restrictions on activity, we all want to enjoy the summer, socialize, and have our local businesses recover. We can do all of this, but on behalf of my team at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, I urge you to do it safely and responsibly. We should expect that there will be more cases this summer, but there are things we all can do to prevent them from spreading more widely in the community.

Governor Charlie Baker has ordered everyone in Massachusetts over the age of two to wear a face covering or mask in public places where maintaining proper physical distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not possible. Locally, the Nantucket Board of Health this week approved an emergency order requiring masks or face coverings in the downtown historic district and in Sconset at all times, indoors or outside, regardless of distancing. These are sensible orders, backed-up by scientific studies, and something we all can do.

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Recognizing that providing compassionate care is a key hospital goal, Nantucket Cottage Hospital established an  annual prize honoring a staff member for extraordinarily compassionate care.

The Seinfeld/Hartmann Prize for Compassionate Medical Care will pay lasting tribute to a physician, nurse or any other hospital staff member who throughout his or her professional career demonstrates an outstanding level of compassion and care in their role at NCH.

The Seinfeld/Hartmann Prize for Compassionate Medical Care, a cash award, will be given each year at the NCH Annual Meeting in August, and the winner will be announced to the hospital and the island community at-large.

Nominations can be initiated by any patient or staff member who witnessed an act of compassion by an NCH employee. Learn more and nominate a caregiver by clicking here or call 508-825-8250. Nominations are due by July 31, 2020.

Information for Members of Cape Cod & the Island’s Seasonal Community:

• Orientación para la comunidad estacional de Cape Cod y las Islas (Español)
• Orientação para a Comunidade de Veraneio do Cabo & Ilhas (Portuguesa)

Updated as of July 6, 2020 – Effective through the end of Phase 3 of Governor Baker’s Phased Plan to Reopen Massachusetts.

Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands appreciate, welcome, and depend on you, our visitors, seasonal residents, non-resident homeowners, and seasonal workforce. On July 6, 2020, Massachusetts entered the first part of Phase 3 of opening businesses and organizations.
Cape Cod and the Islands are now welcoming visitors with some restrictions:

• Accommodations of all types (including short term rental of homes, condos, and cottages)
• Seated dining and take out
• Retail shops
• Museums
• Outdoor historic and recreational activities

Please check with your host or local business for specific opening dates and available amenities.

We care about your health and ours, thus all enterprises must certify participation in the Commonwealth’s Mandatory Safety Standards. Please be patient and follow health advisories as we all try to adjust to this “new normal”.

We have been successful in limiting the extent of the spread of COVID-19 in our communities by implementing early and vigilant social distancing measures per the guidance of public health officials. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health warns that all of Massachusetts remains vulnerable to new cases due to the highly contagious and insidious nature of this disease.

We all must do our part to remain safe and healthy by following the common sense precautionary measures outlined by public health officials:

• Follow public health guidelines and orders:
  o Wash your hands and clean surfaces frequently
  o Protect yourself and others with a face covering/mask in public places where social distancing is not possible
  o Practice social distancing by remaining 6 feet away from others
  o Stay vigilant for symptoms and stay home if you’re sick
• Please be advised that the Governor of Massachusetts has instructed all travelers arriving to Massachusetts to self-quarantine for 14 days. This does not apply to travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, or New Jersey. Visit this link for further details.
  o Individuals are instructed not to travel if they are displaying symptoms
  o If exhibiting flu like symptoms or experiencing respiratory illness, do not go to work. Contact a local healthcare provider for instructions on accessing care.
  o Check and follow advisories on transportation, especially if you are traveling by ferry or air
• For information regarding Massachusetts COVID-19 response, please visit: Mass.gov/covid19 and Mass.gov/reopening 

We appreciate your support of our local economy.

With your help, and all of us working together, Cape Cod and the Islands will recover from this virus and these challenging economic times. We look forward to welcoming you back. Thank you for supporting this place that we all love by respecting this guidance.