WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
The Yarmouth Public Health Council is a grassroots organization that arose from the Yarmouth Community Coronavirus Task Force.
The Yarmouth Public Health Council (YPHC) is dedicated to enhancing and protecting the health and well-being of our community through collaboration with town departments, committees, organizations, and individuals. The YPHC will play a sentinel role in local public health and monitor threats on behalf of our community and if needed, coordinate a response.
The YPHC will assess the interest in and vision for this effort while building engagement by all in the community. The iterative process of listening, giving feedback, and revising will be included in every step of the process. The YPHC will initially focus on a few key activities including:
Assessing public health needs
Developing a series of documents that identify public health needs and gaps in our community. These will be shared with community members and decision-makers. This will be done first through a review of available data, then interviews and focus groups across all demographics.Identifying potential threats
Through YHC expertise and research, scan for major health risks and opportunities and serving as a sentinel for developing problems.Communication and education
Serving as a trusted resource on health information through posting on the BeWellYarmouth.org website and Facebook. This includes reaching out to other Yarmouth entities (Council, staff, other committees, organizations, neighborhood groups). The YHC will serve as a place for people to go who have public health concerns.Identifying Resources
Identifying resources (individuals, financial, and institutional) and services to address public heWe are part of a larger community strategy that has been initiated by our Town Council, our Town Manager, EMS, Police, Fire, and all public servants. It is our goal that we participate in efforts to keep core services open, provide residents with safe ways to meet their needs and work together to mitigate the epidemic and maintain our personal/community health.
We also have a Facebook page that aims to help people in our area access good information, resist nonsense and panic, and get needed resources. We are civic minded and committed to intelligent and congenial discourse.
This Public Health Council is evolving and networking to evaluate the current needs of our neighbors and friends and to plan for the coming weeks and beyond.
More information to come shortly.
Please send questions or suggestions to info@bewellyarmouth.org
Latest wastewater testing results and Covid risk levels
Due to relatively stable levels of COVID virus in Yarmouth’s wastewater, we are keeping the COVID-O-Meter at Low.
Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 viral levels peaked in late December 2023 at 5,875 copies/mL, decreased in early January 2024, plateaued from mid-January through February at an average level of about 1,500 copies/mL, and then declined during March to 421 copies/mL on March 27th.
Since March, viral levels have fluctuated between 348 and 985 copies/mL with a slight rise in levels since late April and early May. Given the relative stability of levels over the past six weeks, we are keeping the COVID-O-Meter at Low.
The number of COVID-related weekly hospitalizations in Maine has continued to decline from 46–50 during April to 31-38 during June. The number of weekly deaths declined from 1–3 during April to 0-1 during June.
With very limited reporting of COVID cases via official channels, we believe that the wastewater data gives us the most accurate representation of the state of infections within our community and that wastewater viral levels are the best measure of community virus transmission.
Wastewater is also being used to monitor for the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
See the figure and table below for additional information. The following links provide information about Maine (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus/data.shtml) and national wastewater testing (https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html).
Learn more about the Yarmouth wastewater testing program and see the latest Yarmouth wastewater testing reports.
TESTING
We strongly recommend keeping Covid tests at home – ideally 2-3 tests per person.
Looking for a testing site?
This Maine.gov page lists testing sites. There are often next-day appointments available.
Local options include:
VACCINATION
Vaccination is the most effective way to protect you and your family from COVID-19.
Although your PCP may be offering vaccines, you may well find that it’s much quicker to get them at a local pharmacy such as Hannaford, CVS, Walgreens, or Walmart.
Vaccines are free but make sure you check whether an appointment is required.
Maine's Dr Shah talks about why you should get a Covid booster.
TREATMENT
Treatment is available! Contact a health professional right away after a positive test (of any kind, including home tests) to determine if you are eligible, even if your symptoms are mild right now.
Don’t wait until you’re very ill.
The treatments for COVID-19 need to be used in the first few days after symptoms begin, typically within the first 5–7 days.
Options:
contact your primary care doctor
or contact one of the many sites in the State that offer testing, evaluation, and treatment (see list).
or call the Community Vaccine Line 1-888-445-4111 which is staffed 5 days a week and can help answer questions how to get Covid therapy.
This Medical Conditions CDC page lists some of the conditions that may qualify you to receive Covid treatments.
Questions…?
News
Aug 2022 National and statewide Covid trends
For the Aug 10th YCCTF meeting, Sharon MacDonnell and Gib Parrish pulled together data on both national and statewide Covid trends to compare how the US and Maine are doing this summer.
They also projected what they expect to happen in the next few months. Read below to see how they interpret the trends.
Yarmouth’s Wastewater Covid Testing Explained - 7pm, Thurs June 9, 2022
Why are we testing Yarmouth’s sewage for Covid and what can it tell us about Covid in our community?
Gib Parrish and Dan Ostrye will outline the past and current wastewater testing program for Yarmouth and how Covid trends can be spotted. Yarmouth was early to wastewater testing as a way to identify Covid trends, first through a contract with St. Joseph’s College, they now are part of a larger Federal program. This powerful tool can identify trends as home-testing becomes so prevalent. The official Maine case counts can underestimate the prevalence of Covid in our community.
At 7pm, Thursday, June 9, Gib and Dan will spend forty minutes explaining the process of tracking our viral trends, then open up the discussion to questions. Tune in via Zoom to understand the ins and outs of this important program.
Members of the award-winning Yarmouth Community Coronavirus Task Force, from left, Dale Shields, Gib Parrish, Margaret Downing and Carla Hunt, with Rep. Art Bell, D-Yarmouth, who nominated the group for the award.
Yarmouth’s COVID-19 task force wins state award (Press Herald)
The Yarmouth Community Coronavirus Task Force is the winner of this year’s Public Health Program of Excellence Award from the Maine Public Health Association. “It’s a great honor and a real tribute to the many people in Yarmouth who volunteered to make all the activities that we’ve been involved in possible,” said Margaret Downing, one of four founding members of the 100-member task force.
The task force was honored for its “leadership, collaboration, and volunteer efforts to serve the needs of the Yarmouth community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Rebecca Boulos, executive director of the MPHA.
A guide to accessing crucial COVID-19 treatments in Maine
The Bangor Daily News has written an excellent article on who is eligible for Covid-19 treatments in Maine, and where and when to get treatment.
Read the article on the BDN site or download a PDF of the article.
Order your free Covid tests from the government
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Federal government tests
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 2 sets of 4 free at-home tests.
If you already ordered your first set, order a second today.
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Maine state government tests
Free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits to MAINE residents while supplies last.
About Us
The Yarmouth Community Coronavirus Task Force is a grassroots organization working in collaboration with Yarmouth and Cumberland County service organizations to assist with the disruptions and uncertainties caused by the Coronavirus epidemic.
The Task Force has set up and run COVID Testing clinics, initiated a Community Conversation for coping with Covid-19 through the winter, organized a drive-through flu shot clinic, started wastewater testing as a means of detecting ambient Covid-19 levels, developed and staffed a help line for those in need of groceries, rides and other services.
We stand together to help the increasing number of people who may experience food shortages, social isolation, medical and transportation needs in the wake of this coronavirus epidemic.
To volunteer, email volunteers@bewellyarmouth.org.
The Greater Portland Council of Governments put together a video celebrating the volunteers and municipal workers who have helped our communities in the past year, and Yarmouth was included.
