ATHOL — As the rate of COVID-19 infections in Athol remain steady, plans are under way to hold vaccine clinic at the Athol Senior Center on Wednesday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. The clinic, organized by the Montachusett Public Health Network Covid-19 Response Team and Athol’s Health Department, will offer the Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines. The clinic is for those 5 years of age and older. Registration is encouraged but walk-ins will be welcome. To register, call the Response Team at 978-602-2356 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The public is asked to bring their vaccine card and health insurance card, if possible.
While many people may think such clinics are no longer necessary, such is not the case. While the rate of infection in Athol is down from previous highs, it remains steady.
“We’ve been holding steady at around 20 cases in town for the past few weeks,” Athol Public Health Agent Deb Vondal told the Athol Daily News. “That means we’re still having a fairly steady rate of community spread. It’s not terrible, but it should be better.”
Also holding steady, she said, is the vaccination rate for the 01331 ZIP code — Athol and Phillipston. Those who have had at least one shot remains at 72 percent, right where it’s been for some time. Vondal said the number of local residents who have been boosted is difficult to determine because the state only provides that figure on a countywide basis.
Vondal provided the Athol Daily News with the copy of notice she is distributing to various locations around town advising residents that Athol is “participating in wastewater surveillance for COVID-19.” The effort, said the notice, is a collaboration between the Athol Health Department, Athol Department of Public Works, and the Montachusett Public Health Network.
Sampling commenced at the end of March and the cost is being covered by the state Department of Public Health.
“Wastewater data,” the notice continues, “has been a reliable, comprehensive data source for tracking Covid-19 across the country. Biobot Analytics, founded at MIT, is the wastewater epidemiology company that analyzes sewage to monitor local Covid-19 trends … Athol DPW collects the wastewater samples, packages and mails to Biobot.”
The notice further explains that “all active infections are captured by wastewater analysis — regardless of one’s vaccination status, the presence of symptoms, or whether one is seeking a test.”
Wastewater analysis has become increasingly important because the number of active cases is significantly underreported due to home testing. Most people who test positive at home fail to report their status to public health agencies. Data supplied via wastewater analysis provides a more accurate picture of the true number of infections, regardless of whether or not they are reported.
Biobot uses a measure of “copies per liter” to determine infection rates. Vondal said Athol is shooting for a rate of fewer than a million copies per liter, but the most recent analysis puts the current rate at around 2.8 million copies per liter.
The notice concludes: “Athol continues to have sustained community Covid-19 transmission as demonstrated by the wastewater surveillance that started on March 31, 2022.
Vondal added that Athol recently received 2,100 COVID-19 test kits, which are now being made available to the public. Some of the kits will be dropped off at the Athol Senior Center and several other locations around town. They are also available by stopping in at the Athol Health Department in Room 1 in the basement of Town Hall. There are no income restrictions for anyone wishing to obtain the kits.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com