Could COVID-19 cases, testing increase after February vacation?

Testing and vaccinating are equally important, especially after a vacation week when testing can help stop a potential surge in the virus. Urgent health care clinics, like Express Health in Weymouth, say they should know about a potential surge from February vacation in the next 10 days.

Dr. Jim Mensching averages about 100 molecular COVID-19 tests a day at Health Express; it’s one of seven locations runs by South Shore Health.

“We basically go out and swab the patient’s nose and put it in a solution and get results in 15 minutes,” Dr. Mensching said.

Many people are testing because they left the state during the February vacation week. One woman told Boston 25 News that she went snowboarding in New Hampshire for a couple of nights. Another man said he went on a golf trip out of state.

“I just want to protect everyone around me,” that man said. “We babysit for our grandchildren. I had a cough and cold symptoms, so I wanted to make sure I’m not contagious.”

Vaccine sites are also catching up after getting vaccine supplies later than planned because of weather issues in other areas of the country.

Marshfield Town Administrator Mike Maresco said they are averaging about 100 doses per hour at the drive-thru vaccination site at the Marshfield Fair Grounds. The state’s only drive-thru site also had to rework some logistics so it would continue getting vaccines from the state.

Marshfield said it now has the ability to do at least 750 doses per day and that they are allowing residents from anywhere in the state to sign up there; originally it was only for Plymouth County residents.

“No restrictions, so we have people coming from the Cape, southeastern Mass. We had people coming from Worcester County,” Maresco said.

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