Cape Cod Healthcare, Cape Cod Commission and Barnstable County Announce COVID-19 Community Alert Heatmap System
For Immediate Release
Cape Cod Healthcare, Cape Cod Commission and Barnstable County Announce COVID-19
Community Alert Heatmap System
(HYANNIS, MA – April 14, 2020) — Cape Cod Healthcare, in partnership with Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment and Cape Cod Commission, has announced a new online COVID-19 community alert heatmap system showing numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus 2019) at a detailed geographic level within Barnstable County. The information will be updated daily and is designed to empower residents on Cape Cod to make informed choices about public health safety precautions to minimize the risk of infection and further transmission of COVID-19 within the County.
The COVID-19 patient case data is being managed by the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Cape Cod, a member of Cape Cod Healthcare and Barnstable County, and is being presented using advanced mapping technology managed by the Cape Cod Commission. The data represent running totals for every zip code summarized at regional level across Cape Cod; and individual zip code level data for participating towns. The data will be updated daily and will be classified using three color codes representing infection risk potential.
“Cape Cod Healthcare and our community partners at Barnstable County, Cape Cod Commission and many others, have worked tirelessly to prepare for the expected surge of COVID-19 patients. Concurrently, our efforts to prevent the transmission of infection in the community are being developed based on successful public health practices from around the globe,” said Kumara Sidhartha, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Cape Cod Healthcare ACO. “This community alert system has been designed to maintain and honor the privacy of individuals as required by law, while also informing and empowering individuals about hotspots in the region to make the right decisions for preventing the spread of the virus.”
“The Cape Cod Commission is pleased to partner with Cape Cod Healthcare to help share fact-based information during this crisis,” said Cape Cod Commission Executive Director Kristy Senatori. “Advanced map-based technology combined with the best available data will help our community better understand and respond to the spread of this virus.”
“We continue to encourage people on Cape Cod to refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information as a source of truth in preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said Sidhartha. The information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
COVID-19 community alert heatmap system will be available on the following websites:
Cape Cod Commission: https://capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-covid19
- Cape Cod Healthcare: https://www.capecodhealth.org/covid-cases
- Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment: https://www.barnstablecountyhealth.org/case-numbers-and-figures
ABOUT CAPE COD HEALTHCARE
Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 450 physicians, 5,700 employees and 790 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare has two acute care hospitals, the Cape’s leading provider of homecare and hospice services (VNA), a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility, four urgent care centers and numerous health programs. For more information, visit the Cape Cod Healthcare website at www.capecodhealth.org. Sign-up to receive the latest Cape Cod Healthcare News at https://www.capecodhealth.org/CCHN-subscribe. For the latest information on the COVID-19 coronavirus, please visit www.capecodhealth.org/coronavirus.
ABOUT BARNSTABLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Established under a Special Act of the Legislature in 1926, the Barnstable County Department of Health & Environment (BCDHE) provides regional public health and environmental health services throughout the 15 towns comprising Barnstable County. The Department manages several environmental, public health, and homeland security grants that are funded through state and federal resources. The primary mission of the Department is to protect public health and the environment and to promote the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the residents of Barnstable County.
ABOUT THE CAPE COD COMMISSION
The Cape Cod Commission is the regional land use, planning, economic development and regulatory agency for Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It was created in 1990 to serve the citizens and 15 towns that comprise Cape Cod. The Commission works toward maintaining a healthy balance between economic progress and environmental vitality. “Keeping a Special Place Special” describes the agency’s mission to protect the region’s unique qualities. The 19-member volunteer Cape Cod Commission board represents a wide spectrum of the community and provides oversight for a staff of 40 professionals. For more information, please visit www.capecodcommission.org.
Cape Cod Healthcare Contact: Christina Peaslee
Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment Contact: Sonja Sheasley
Cape Cod Commission Contact: Sarah Colvin
sarah.colvin@capecodcommission.org
