SAUGUS — The town of Saugus is still working to secure vaccines for the community’s older and more vulnerable residents, Public Health Director John Fralick announced.
In a statement released Friday, Fralick said health officials are helping residents eligible for vaccinations under Phase 2 of the state’s vaccine rollout program to schedule appointments through the Commonwealth’s online software scheduling vendor.
The town continues to report high numbers of COVID-19 cases among residents.
As of Thursday, Saugus had reported a total of 3,382 COVID-19 cases within the community, which has steadily been classified by the state as a red zone for virus transmission since August.
However, during a Board of Health meeting earlier this month, Public Health Nurse Teresa Riley-Singh noted that Saugus saw a marked decline in COVID-19 cases between December and January, prompting cautious optimism from health officials who were hopeful the numbers may indicate a positive trend for the community.
According to Riley-Singh, Saugus reported a total of 823 cases in January, with an average of 27 cases per day.
While still high, she said the number was a noticeable improvement over December’s case count of 1,090, or 35 cases per day.
“If you’re looking at just the numbers, we’re definitely better,” Riley-Singh said, noting that Saugus’ case count has remained fairly consistent with the statewide average for the last three months. “The only real way to tell is time.”
More information on vaccinations for Saugus residents will be released in the near future, Fralick said. In the meantime, those eligible are encouraged to register for the COVID-19 vaccine through the state vaccine sites and website at https://www.maimmunizations.org/. Available appointments can be found online or by dialing 211.
Residents are asked to note that vaccine and appointment availability at state vaccine sites are limited at this time.
More information is also available through the Saugus Health Department at 781-231-4117.
“We just have to continue to wear our masks and social distance — all the rhetoric we’ve been hearing for the last year,” Fralick said. “(COVID-19) isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
