Since July 10, 33 residents and staff members at Maplewood Mayflower Place nursing home in Yarmouth, Mass., most of whom are vaccinated, have tested positive for COVID-19, The Boston Globe reported July 20.
Twenty four residents and nine staff members have contracted the virus. Most of those infected are experiencing mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, the state's health department told the news outlet. Infected residents were also offered monoclonal antibody therapeutics, while affected staff members are "stable," according to the health department.
"This definitely would be a different story had they not been vaccinated or could've played out similar to the Soldier's Home where we saw the tragedy there back at the beginning of the pandemic," Michael Misialek, MD, associate chair of pathology at Newton (Mass.) Wellesley Hospital, told Boston 25 News.
A spokesperson for the facility said the affected individuals are being monitored.
"Our COVID-19 Task Force and our community leaders are working in close collaboration with them to monitor the positive cases of COVID-19 at Mayflower Place Nursing & Rehabilitation Center,” Kim Bragoli, director of marketing for Maplewood Senior Living, told the Globe. “We are pleased to see that our vaccination efforts have clearly been effective as affected residents and staff are exhibiting no or very limited symptoms at this time.”
The news comes as nearby Provincetown, Mass., faces a COVID-19 outbreak, with at least 132 people testing positive since July 4. Most cases there have also been among vaccinated people, the Globe reports.
In response, Provincetown officials issued guidance July 19 urging all residents to wear masks indoors.