With Covid rates rising and vaccination rates stagnating in Dartmouth, town officials are wondering how to get things trending in the right direction. 

“I don’t think we should just sit and wait,’’ SelectBboard member David Tatelbaum said at the Dec. 20 meeting, which was the final one of the year. 

He suggested inviting Public Health Director Chris Michaud to the next meeting on Jan. 3 to see what steps can be taken to improve the situation.

The state’s Department of Public health confirmed 379 cases in town over the past two weeks — an increase of 79 from the state’s previous report. That number represents the highest case total since January. 

As of Dec. 16, 63% of Dartmouth residents have received at least a first vaccination dose. That amounts to 23,455 people. 

Those vaccination figures are on the “lower end’’ of area communities, Tatelbaum said.

He would like to look at “what we might do to encourage’’ vaccinations, he said. He said he hoped the board could “do something as a unit’’ to improve these numbers, he said.

Town Administrator Shawn MacInnes said a booster shot vaccination clinic recently took place at the Council on Aging and was “very well-attended.’’ The event was held in conjunction with Walgreens, he said.

“We are doing what we can,’’ he said.

Tatelbaum also invited “anyone else who is qualified’’ to discuss the issue to attend the next meeting. Board members agreed that Michaud is the ultimate authority in town on the topic.