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.
As students prepare to return to the classroom next week after holiday break, the COVID-19 transmission risk has returned to “high” in the four communities involved in the Contact Tracing Collaborative, which consists of Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague and Sunderland.
“Due to the status … it would be prudent to consider wearing masks when going back to school for 10 days … just to get over the hump,” said Greenfield Health Director Jennifer Hoffman, speaking on behalf of the Contact Tracing Collaborative.
Speaking Friday, Hoffman said that in the last two days, there have been three deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Greenfield. Montague has seen three deaths this week.
There have been roughly nine hospitalizations due to COVID-19 per day, she added.
Although the positivity rate remains on par with last week at about 8.3%, Hoffman cautioned against relying too heavily on testing data in the wake of the decreased availability of PCR tests. Curative Inc., the Los Angeles-based health care startup that operated PCR testing sites at Greenfield Community College, the South County Senior Center in South Deerfield and Greenfield Cooperative Bank’s Shelburne Falls branch, has closed all its testing locations across the U.S.
“We have a lot of tests available for people to come get,” Hoffman said, noting the Greenfield Health Department recently received another shipment of rapid antigen tests. “People will still be getting PCRs if they go in the hospital; Walgreens still does PCR by appointment.”
Masks are also available at the Health Department on Sanderson Street, she said.
Prior to this most recent spike, the COVID-19 transmission risk level was “moderate” last week, following two weeks in the “high risk” level.
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.
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.
Masking encouraged.
■One to four cluster infections.
■Stable positive testing.
■Fewer than five hospitalizations.
■Stable case incidence.
■Stable wastewater.
Masking optional.
■No cluster infections.
■Decrease in positive tests.
■Decrease in hospitalizations.
■Decrease in case incidence.
■Decreased virus copies in wastewater.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.