More than 4,000 rapid home Covid-19 test kits were given out Tuesday as part of a federal government distribution, coordinated by Island Healthcare and the Island boards of health. Also Tuesday the boards of health reported 101 positive Covid cases on the Vineyard, another new record.
The test kit roll-out began at 9:30 a.m. and in some towns the test kits were gone in just a few hours.
Chilmark ran through its 136-kit supply by 10 a.m., Tisbury health agent Maura Valley said. The town sent 15 of its kits to Gosnold.
In West Tisbury they were gone by 11:30 a.m. with lines forming at town hall before 9:30 a.m. West Tisbury health agent Omar Johnson said that by the time distribution was slated to start he had already given out three 45-count boxes of test kits — over a third of the town’s 398-kit allotment.
It was the same story in the down-Island towns. In Edgartown, the distribution took place on Atlantic avenue, near the Norton Point Beach entrance. At about 9:15 a.m. the first few cars began lining up and within about 30 minutes the trickle of cars turned into a steady stream, stretching back to the intersection of Atlantic Drive and Katama Road.
“We’re going to run out of these quickly,” Edgartown chief of police Bruce McNamee said.
Unlike other Island towns, Edgartown mandated an advance sign-up. The town reserved 300 of its roughly 580 kits for the public. The other test kits were distributed to the fire and police departments as well as the council on aging, Edgartown health agent Matt Poole said.
Lining up outside of Chilmark town hall.
— Mark Alan Lovewell
By the end of the morning, Edgartown had distributed about 225 of its 300 reserved kits. Mr. Poole said about 25 people who had signed up notified the board of health that they couldn’t make it. They will receive their kits another way, he said.
Oak Bluffs received 598 test kits which were given out at the temporary town hall offices. Ms. Valley said that supply was largely depleted by the end of the morning, adding that the distribution went smoothly in Tisbury as well, and test kits were depleted by noon.
Aquinnah’s allotment of 45 tests were given to the Wampanoag tribe.
The remainder of the 4,000 kits went to Island Healthcare and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hospital spokesperson Marissa Lefebvre said its share of test kits will be given to hospital patients and staff.
Island Healthcare spokesperson Mary Beslauer said those test kits will be given to IHC patients.
In Oak Bluffs, test kits were distributed at temporary town hall space.
— Ray Ewing
For those who didn’t get a test kit more are coming, Mr, Poole said, noting that he expects the Island to get an additional 10,600 tests next week.
Beyond the kits expected to arrive next week, Ms. Breslauer said an additional shipment of 21,600 tests is slated for the coming weeks.
By the beginning of February, Mr. Poole said he hopes to have enough supply so Islanders can grab a test kit whenever they need one.
“The key word is hope,” he said. “One thing we’ve learned is not to predict too far out.”
