• COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Resources

  • COMMUNITY RESOURCES ● BUSINESS RESOURCES ● VISITOR RESOURCES

  • Current Orders

  • IMPORTANT INFORMATION

     

    • CURRENT STATE: Fully reopened effective May 29, 2021
    • Town Of Nantucket Board Of Health COVID-19 EMERGENCY ORDER #16, effective August 5, 2021
    • Masks are still mandatory for all individuals on public and private transportation systems (including rideshares, livery, taxi, ferries, MBTA, Commuter Rail and transportation stations), in healthcare facilities and in other settings hosting vulnerable populations, such as congregate care settings
    • As a result of increasing cases across the Cape and Islands, the town's Health and Human Services Department is advising all residents and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to use masks while indoors and at public locations when physical distancing is not possible.

  • Town of Nantucket Advises All Residents and Visitors to Use Face Covering Indoors and at Public Locations.

    As a result of increasing cases across the Cape and Islands, The Town of Nantucket’s Health and Human Services Department is advising all residents and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to use masks while indoors and at public locations when physical distance is not possible. The increased virulence of the Delta variant, and its high ability to infect even those vaccinated in some cases, means that masking and distancing are strongly recommended at this time. Prolonged exposure, indoors and at high concentrations, is likely the cause of vaccinated individuals becoming infected. The Delta variant has also shown breakthrough ability against natural immunity and can reinfect those who have already had COVID. Please keep your safety, and the safety of those around you, in mind.

  • State Rules on Early Ed Mask Policy

     

    All employees and children aged five and older enrolled in state-licensed daycare, after-school, and out-of-school programs, will be required to wear masks indoors starting Tuesday, September 7, and younger children ages of 2 — 5 who can "safely and appropriately wear, remove, and handle face masks" will be "strongly encouraged" to wear one. The policy applies to adults regardless of vaccination status. According to the article from Wicked Local, a vaccine mandate for adult employees would probably require an order from the Department of Public Health to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations.

    Vax Rule Expanded For Caregivers

     

    All staff in Massachusetts rest homes, assisted living residences, hospice programs, and home care workers who provide in-home direct care, must receive the COVID vaccine under an expanded mandate instituted by Governor Charlie Baker's administration— it builds on a public health order issued last month requiring long-term care workers in skilled nursing facilities and soldiers' homes to be fully vaccinated by Sunday, October 10. The mandate applies to workers directly employed by facilities and to contractors who regularly enter facilities, as well as individuals providing in-home, direct care employed by a state-contracted or state-subcontracted agency, and it also applies to independent, non-agency home care workers contracted with the state such as personal care attendants in the MassHealth program. Affected caregivers must get vaccinated by Sunday, October 31 unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption, according to WBUR.

  • Visitor Resource

  • Check our latest updates on Instagram and Facebook. Please know that when the time is right, Nantucket‘s miles of beaches, fresh sea air, and walking & biking trails will be waiting to embrace you!

  • For Visitors: For Visitors:

    TRAVEL ADVISORY - TRAVEL SAFELY TO NANTUCKET:

     As of Monday, March 22, all visitors entering Massachusetts, including residents, are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival. Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:

    • Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts. Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
    • Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours
    • Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours
    • Travelers who are full vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms
    • All travelers are encouraged to consult and follow the CDC'S guidelines and requirements for travel​

    ​​

  • Business Resources  

  • SBA Announces Opening of Paycheck Protection Program Direct Forgiveness Portal

    New portal will streamline applications for loans $150K or less for over 6.5 million businesses

  • OSHA Issues New COVID-19 Guidance For Non-Healthcare Employers

     
     

  • Massachusetts Enacts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Law

    OVERVIEW

    The Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave law requires employers to provide up to one week of paid sick leave to employees who need leave for a covered COVID-19 related reason. Employers may request reimbursement from the state for the cost of paid leave. The maximum amount an employer is required to pay per employee, and the maximum amount for which the employer may seek reimbursement for any one employee, is $850 (including cost of benefits).

    EFFECTIVE DATES

    May 28, 2021 through September 30, 2021 (or until the exhaustion of $75M in program funds)

    REASONS FOR LEAVE

    Employees can take leave for the following reasons:

    • To take care of themselves or get medical treatment due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms, or to get or recover from a COVID-19 immunization

    • To quarantine as required by a local, state, or federal public official, a health authority having jurisdiction, or a health care provider

    Employees can also take leave if they have to care for a family member in any of the above situations

    • Covered family members are an employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, or sibling, a parent of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner, or a person who stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a minor child

    *In general, employers may not require employees to use other types of available paid leave before they use COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave, or require employees to find someone else to cover the time they will miss while using COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave.

    *Employers may not interfere with an employee’s ability to use COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave or retaliate against an employee for taking COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave.

    HOW MUCH LEAVE ARE EMPLOYEES ENTITLED TO?

    • 40 hours of leave for employees who regularly work at least 40 hours

    • For part-time employees, leave amount is based on average number of hours the employee works Requests for Leave Employers may require employees to submit COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave requests in writing and may require employees to provide medical and other documentation related to the request. 

    From mass.gov

     

    Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave—Reimbursement
     
    The Commonwealth is now accepting applications from employers for reimbursement of their costs in granting Massachusetts emergency paid sick leave. To recap, from Friday, May 28, 2021, until September 30, 2021 or the exhaustion of $75 million in program funds as determined by the Commonwealth, whichever is earlier, employers must offer Massachusetts employees leave time for qualifying reasons related to COVID-19. 
     
    Further information on the law is available at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-temporary-emergency-paid-sick-leave-program.Effective immediately, employers may apply for reimbursement by logging into the Department of Revenue’s MassTaxConnect website. Further information, including detailed instructions, is available here:https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-temporary-emergency-paid-sick-leave-program#how-to-apply-for-reimbursement-
     
    Information about the Commonwealth’s new temporary sick leave program for certain reasons related to COVID-19.

  • COVID-19 Resources for Businesses -Updated September 8, 2021 COVID-19 Resources for Businesses -Updated September 8, 2021

    LOCAL: 

    KEEP THE ROCK SOLID INITIATIVE: Centralized resources to help local businesses overcome the challenges of operating during the pandemic. 

     

    TOWN OF NANTUCKET:​

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    OTHER CHAMBER RESOURCES:

     

    STATE:

    OFFICIAL ORDERS & GUIDELINES

     

    NATIONAL:

    SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

    • SBA Relief Programs​
    • COVID EIDL Program Updates, Effective September 8, 2021
      • ​Those that did not receive an EIDL Loan before can still apply
      • Increased cap from $500k to $2 million
      • Funds may now be used for payment and pre-payment of commercial debt as well as government debt
      • The deferral period to start payback is extended to 24 months (new and existing loans)
      • Only companies seeking $500k or less may apply right now through October 8th
    • Support via SCORE

     

    INDUSTRY SPECIFIC

  • Beware of Scams - COVID-19 Loans

  • Open Restaurants

  • Support Local

  • Support Local Businesses

     
     
    Rally for Restaurants is encouraging consumers to buy gift cards for local restaurants during the pandemic and they will donate $1 to organizations supporting the community through Toast.org
     
    The NBA Community BOOSTER Program: a new, community-wide initiative to support local restaurants. For every $50 gift card purchased from one of the local food-establishment Partners, the NBA will provide an extra $10 "boost" incentive, for a total $60 value! In addition, all Partner establishments will donate 10% of their gift card proceeds to the Nantucket Food Pantry.

  • Keeping the Community updated on resources and services available to keep our community healthy

  • Keeping the Community updated on resources and services available to keep our community healthy

  • MACCE Nantucket Chamber Is Here COVID19

  • While our doors might not be open, we are here for you!

  • Daffy Updates

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    Thank You To Our Signature Sponsors