LYNN — After 15 months of pandemic-related turmoil, the city has just set a positive new record.
On Saturday, June 5, Lynn recorded zero new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period for the first time since March 21, 2020.
New, daily cases in the city have stayed in the single digits since Saturday’s reporting; Lynn has reported fewer than 10 new cases per day since May 26. Mayor Thomas M. McGee said he hopes this pattern continues.
“I think it’s great we’re in single digits,” McGee said Thursday.
McGee credited these low numbers to vaccination efforts throughout the community, saying that 56 percent of the city’s residents have received their first dose, while 46 percent are fully vaccinated.
The partnership between the Lynn Community Health Center, the city and the fire department has made the vaccination clinic at Lynn Technical Vocational Institute very successful, said McGee.
The city has also remained in the “green” category, signifying a relatively low-risk for COVID-19, for a few weeks now, after being in the highest-risk “red” category for several months.
McGee said the decrease in new cases has greatly contributed to a reduced community transmission.
Although infection is on a downward trend, McGee is still highly encouraging residents who haven’t been vaccinated to do so.
“It’s not over. It’s time to recognize that we were able to reach that milestone, but there’s still a way to go,” McGee said.
President Joe Biden announced a national goal of having at least 70 percent of community residents throughout the U.S. vaccinated with at least one vaccine dose by July 4, which McGee said the city is still planning to meet.
The Lynn Tech site is still available for vaccine appointments, which can be made online at www.lchcnet.org. Tech is offering a choice of the Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer vaccine, which can be determined when scheduling an appointment.
Market Basket is also offering vaccines, through a partnership with the state Department of Public Health, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those who get their vaccine there will receive a $25 Market Basket gift card.
All vaccines are free and no insurance is required at any vaccination location.
“This is how we’re getting towards being back to normal times,” McGee said. “If you get fully vaccinated, you can go out and do what you’ve done in the past … Continuing to get more people vaccinated is such a benefit for our community.”
