GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The City of Greenfield is encouraging residents in the city and surrounding communities to start masking up, as traces of Covid-19 are becoming more prevalent in wastewater testing.
According to the City of Greenfield, the announcement comes as Covid-19 cases have been on the rise across the state and nationwide, though actual cases in the Greenfield area have been down in the past week.
Greenfield is at a medium risk level, along with Montague, Deerfield, and Sunderland. The latest state data on Covid-19 from the 17th showed that Massachusetts had a positivity rate of just under 10 percent.
Despite nearly 76 percent of the population getting their Covid-19 vaccinations and 33 percent getting additional booster shots. Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner says she expected more Covid-19 levels to be found in waste water, after people got back from vacations.
The CDC evaluates the risk of community spread of Covid-19 on a county-by-county basis each week. Their “low,” “medium,” and “high” community levels are used to serve as guidance for mask-wearing and other precautions.
The CDC recommends people in areas of medium spread consider wearing a mask indoors, especially if they are at high risk for severe illness. Spending time outdoors or having ventilation inside your home can be a preventative measure as well as increasing the distance between yourself and others.
Greenfield and nearby communities will continue to monitor with wastewater testing.
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