The COVID-19 transmission risk is considered “moderate” in the four communities involved in the Contact Tracing Collaborative, which consists of Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague and Sunderland.
The COVID-19 transmission risk is considered “moderate” in the four communities involved in the Contact Tracing Collaborative, which consists of Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague and Sunderland. Credit: CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Editor’s note: The Greenfield Recorder has been providing regular updates on the risk level of COVID-19 transmission as wastewater testing results are received.

After two weeks in the “high risk” level, the COVID-19 transmission risk has decreased to “moderate” in the four communities involved in the Contact Tracing Collaborative, which consists of Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague and Sunderland.

In the last week, Greenfield, in particular, saw a reported 22 cases of COVID-19 out of 92 cases for the month of December, according to the most recent data available on the Greenfield Health Department’s website. With the COVID-19 transmission risk level now in the yellow zone, masking is encouraged.

Health officials, however, are cautioning against a “significantly high” rate of flu, with many people being hospitalized for the illness, according to Greenfield Health Director Jennifer Hoffman.

“Flu is the same precautions as COVID, since it’s a respiratory virus,” she said. “Please be mindful of others. Stay home if you are sick or feeling under the weather.”

In combination with wastewater testing — people with an active COVID-19 infection excrete the virus in their stool, and samples from wastewater treatment plants can be analyzed to estimate community virus levels — the four municipalities factor in hospitalization numbers, positivity rates and case numbers to determine risk levels. Health officials also continue to talk with nursing homes, businesses and schools to track cluster infections.

The following three zones, defined by the Contact Tracing Collaborative, are used to gauge risk levels of COVID-19 transmission in the four communities. For the risk level in the area to change, at least two measures need to apply.

Red zone: High COVID-19 risk

Masking recommended.

■Cluster infections (of three or more people at one site): five or more.

■Percent positive tests out of total tests performed: greater than 10%.

■Hospitalizations: five or more.

■Increase in case trend.

■Increase in wastewater trend.

Yellow zone: Moderate COVID-19 risk

Masking encouraged.

■One to four cluster infections.

■Stable positive testing.

■Fewer than five hospitalizations.

■Stable case incidence.

■Stable wastewater.

Green zone: Low to minimal COVID-19 risk

Masking optional.

■No cluster infections.

■Decrease in positive tests.

■Decrease in hospitalizations.

■Decrease in case incidence.

■Decreased virus copies in wastewater.