Yarmouth Covid Wastewater Testing Results - Aug 1, 2023
Aug 1, 2023
Summary
In the two months since our last Yarmouth, Maine, COVID-19 report on June 1, 2023, wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 have generally remained low with a brief increase in mid-July similar to the brief increase during the last two weeks of May. During this period, we saw the lowest viral levels since testing by Biobot began in May 2022.
From May 29–July 30, 2023, Maine CDC reported 9 cases of COVID-19, an average of 1 case per week.
Based on the low levels and trend of SARS-CoV-2 in Yarmouth's wastewater during the past 2 months, we are keeping the COVID-O-Meter at the Low level.
Yarmouth SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Wastewater Testing Results — Aug 1, 2023
Since May 2022 Yarmouth wastewater samples have been collected twice weekly and tested by Biobot Analytics in Massachusetts.
The adjusted viral levels were 176 and 687 copies/mL in the two most recent wastewater samples (July 26–27 and July 31–August 1, respectively).
Viral levels from June 1 through August 1 fluctuated between 81 and 1,350 copies/mL. The overall trend during this period was relatively flat with a small peak during mid-July. (Figure, Table).
June and July viral levels averaged 209 and 365 copies/mL, respectively, as compared to March, April, and May viral level averages of 554, 606, and 340 copies/mL.
Yarmouth’s June and July viral levels were similar to those measured in Portland’s and Brunswick’s wastewater samples. Viral levels remained low during June and July in Brunswick’s, Portland’s East End, and Portland’s Westbrook-Gorham wastewater facilities.
In late July 2023, the highest US state wastewater SARS-CoV-2 viral levels were in Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
COVID-19 Case Reports
Cases of COVID-19 for Yarmouth—as reported by Maine CDC—averaged 1 case per week for May 29 through July 30, 2023, with 1 case reported for July 24–30.
The number and weekly average of case reports during this 8-week reporting period are the lowest since early August 2021 when there were no cases.
Reported case counts are likely to be lower than the actual number of cases due to reduced testing and increased self-testing (home testing), which is not reported to Maine CDC. Anecdotally, we hear that many in the community are using home testing and management.
We recommend that the Yarmouth Community continue to exercise caution:
Get vaccinated and boosted. Bivalent boosters with the original vaccine component and a component based on recently circulating variants (i.e., BA.4 and BA.5) are available from Moderna and Pfizer. The US CDC updated its COVID-19 recommendations recently to advise that persons aged 65 years and older and those with medical conditions have the option to receive a second bivalent booster if it has been more than 4 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine.
With the public health emergency lifted and low COVID-19 case counts and deaths, it is left to individuals to decide what exposures and risks are acceptable. In some situations, individuals may want the lowest risk, while others may feel socialization is their highest priority. Note: persons who are immune compromised due to medical conditions or medical treatments should take particular care, as should those around them. To be cautious, when gathering with people at higher risk, test with a rapid antigen test.
At a minimum, any time you have symptoms, isolate yourself from people and use a rapid antigen test for 2 days in a row to determine if you have COVID.
If you test positive for COVID or believe you have a COVID infection, discuss the value of therapeutics with your doctor. These medications can shorten the course and severity of the illness and likely reduce transmission to others. In addition, tell the people you have been in contact with for 2 days prior to your positive test that they may have been exposed.
If you have COVID, leave isolation only after you have a negative rapid antigen test.
If you want the lowest risk of transmission,
Avoid crowded indoor spaces;
Consider wearing a mask in indoor public places, particularly if you are unvaccinated, 60 years of age or older, or immunocompromised; and
When indoors, ensure that there is good ventilation (air exchange).
Learn more about why we do wastewater testing and how it has recently changed at our Wastewater Testing page.
The Yarmouth Wastewater Testing Team will continue to evaluate the testing results from the twice weekly samples. If there are significant changes, we will notify community members via the Town website, the YCCTF website (Be Well Yarmouth), and the YCCTF and Yarmouth Community Network Facebook sites.
Yarmouth's wastewater testing program for SARS-CoV-2 is currently collecting and testing two 24 hour wastewater samples each week: the first is collected from 7 am Monday to 7 am Tuesday, and the second from 7am Wednesday to 7 am Thursday. Samples are sent to Biobot Analytics in Cambridge, Massachusetts for testing. The program is currently funded by the U.S. CDC.
The results of wastewater testing for Yarmouth and other locations in Maine are posted on the Maine CDC website.
An overview of COVID-19 wastewater monitoring in the United States with graphs of testing data for the U.S. and selected U.S. counties, including 14 counties in Maine, is available from Biobot.
We would like to thank Chris Cline and Yarmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility staff for collecting and submitting the wastewater samples twice a week and Steve Johnson, Yarmouth's Town Engineer, for overseeing the wastewater testing program.