Martha s Vineyard Superspreader Wedding Sparks COVID-19 Fury
A wedding on Martha s Vineyard this month is veering toward superspreader status, causing the island to experience its first case cluster since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and sending the destination known for its elite visitors and lush vacations into a tailspin.
Locals have every reason to be spooked, considering the now-notorious August wedding in Maine that led to 170 infections, killing eight people who did not even attend the reception. Another regional cluster, tied to a September church gathering in Nantucket, also drew headlines and attendant fury.
Perhaps most glaring: The Martha s Vineyard outbreak appeared to be hitting people who worked the wedding harder than attendees themselves. Tisbury health agent and board of health spokesperson Maura Valley told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that five of nine patients who had tested positive so far were workers at the wedding, while the other four were guests or part of the wedding party.
Outrage quickly exploded in the community.