It’s been a hectic few weeks for New Bedford’s “Greasy Luck.” Two weeks ago we reported a story about a disturbance that broke out at 2:30am after their entertainment venue “The Vault” had closed. 4 people were arrested and charged with a number of offenses, the most serious being Assault and Battery on a Police Officer. This time they are in the news for an altogether different reason.
The New Bedford Health Department has confirmed that 45 COVID cases have been linked to a specific event that The Vault held on July 10th. 34 of these positive cases are from unvaccinated individuals and six of the cases were from individuals who did not attend the event but were in close contact with attendees of the event, bringing the total to 45 cases.
Throughout the pandemic, the establishment has been proactive in trying to curtail the spread of the virus in a number of ways. They routinely disinfect, sanitize, and cleaning the entire establishment, have reduced capacity from 425 people to 200 and posted signs within view that suggest patrons get vaccinated or to wear a mask. In addition, one of The Vault’s owners, Howie Mallowes, has been asking for phone numbers from those visiting the venue to help with contact tracing efforts.
The City of New Bedford Health Department’s official stance is one that matches the most recent CDC’s recommendations and that is to wear masks at large indoor gatherings.
“Residents who are not vaccinated are strongly urged to avoid gathering in unmasked settings and to be vaccinated. This case is illustrative of the effectiveness of the vaccine, as nearly 90% of those infected were not vaccinated to protect themselves against contracting COVID-19.” said.
You can find out more about COVID information as it applies to the City of New Bedford by visiting the Health Department’s official page here.