File photo Nashua Public Health and Community Services director Bobbie Bagley speaks at a recent meeting at City Hall.

NASHUA — While the current COVID-19 transmission rate is still quite a bit lower in Nashua than it was at the height of the pandemic, the fact it has risen to roughly 5.5% from a low of 2%-3% over the past few months prompted city officials to remind residents to continue to exercise caution.

Mayor Jim Donchess and Bobbie Bagley, the head of the city Public Health and Community Services department, addressed residents via live-stream from City Hall Thursday, providing updates on new developments in the status of the pandemic and again urging non-vaccinated individuals to become vaccinated individuals as soon as possible.

“The disease is definitely still with us, although at a lower level than at the height of the pandemic,” Donchess said.

He estimated that 60% of eligible Nashuans have been vaccinated, a number that drops to around 51% if factoring in non-eligible people — such as children age 12 and under.

It’s the so-called Delta variant that is currently the culprit in the recent upward trend in cases, Donchess said, referring to what has become the predominant strain of the COVID-19 virus, one that is more contagious and spreads faster than earlier forms of the virus.

The importance of getting vaccinated is illustrated best in the fact that of the 25 or so Nashuans currently hospitalized with the Delta variant, none of them were vaccinated.

While a 60% vaccination rate is a reasonably optimistic number, Donchess said “we need to reach 100%,” or at least upwards of 80%-90%.

Bagley, meanwhile, said that while officials expect to see more cases, “we’re also hoping to see a plateau, a leveling-off, of cases as the vaccination rate increases.”

Getting a third dose of vaccine, Bagley said, is recommended for people whose health is compromised by moderate to severe conditions.

She also addressed the dangers of injecting Ivermectin — typically used to deworm animals — as a substitute for the approved vaccines.

“It’s not approved … (health officials) recommend not using it,” Bagley said. “Some (people) are saying it works for prevention and treatment (of COVID-19), but some people who have self-medicated have been hospitalized,” she added.

“What’s the best way to prevent the spread? Get vaccinated, and follow public health guidance,” Bagley said.

Currently, Public Health and Community Services is hosting two free vaccination clinics per week, on Tuesdays from 4-7 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m.-noon.

It’s recommended to call ahead, at 589-4500, option 2. More information is available at www.nashuanh.gov.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Newsletter