Editor’s note: The following Tri-Town Health Department update was written by Amy Hardt, MPH BSN RN, Lead Public Health Nurse at the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative, and sent out Tuesday, May 17. It has been edited for clarity.
Local and regional COVID-19 cases continue to climb, with Berkshire County classified at the HIGH/RED level of community impact for the past month. With the exception of Hampden and Hampshire counties (MEDIUM/YELLOW), we are surrounded by communities in the same HIGH/RED position. And it looks like we haven’t reached the peak yet, but may be getting closer to that point, with a slowdown in the increase of cases last week. No decline in new cases yet.
The slowdown occurred in both reported new cases and in the level of virus present in our Berkshire County wastewater collected in Pittsfield. COVID-19 hospitalizations lag about 2-3 weeks behind newly identified cases, and cases tend to lag 1-2 weeks behind wastewater data, so very likely hospitalizations will continue to increase for at least a few more weeks. As a reality check, data modeling experts tell us that during this Spring wave, only 10 percent of infections are being identified and reported via PCR or facility-based rapid antigen tests. Yikes.
At this high level of local virus transmission and in the face of increasing local hospital utilization by COVID-19 patients, EVERYONE is currently recommended by the CDC to mask indoors. Even with a mix of mask types and effectiveness, this step alone typically reduces spread by 30 percent in indoor environments. Those at highest risk for severe disease outcomes are best advised to wear an effective KN95 or N95 mask for protection, and to avoid crowded, unventilated indoor settings.
Taking a look around our community lately, it would seem that indoor mask use has fallen away for the most part. Warm temperatures and relaxed summer attitudes probably have a lot to do with it. Pandemic fatigue and mask discomfort are important factors, as well. It was one thing to coordinate a cute cloth mask with our outfits in 2020-2021, and surgical masks are still being handed out like candy, but by now folks are noticeably less enthusiastic to pull on a much more effective, but somewhat uncomfortable N95 or sweat-inducing KN95 mask.
Folks who are not at especially high risk themselves and are not close to anyone in that camp may be thinking, what’s the point? We’re all going to get COVID eventually and I’m almost certainly not going to die from it. Or, I already got it and it was no big deal. Point taken, but there are other negative impacts. For example, although vaccination is known to reduce the chances of long COVID syndrome by about 50 percent over those who are unvaccinated, it’s not a sure bet. Even among boosted individuals, 5-6 percent reported activity-limiting symptoms 4 or more weeks after COVID recovery in a recent British health study.
Natural immunity from previous infection isn’t a reliable preventative against long COVID with a new infection either. And as we discussed last week, the logistical, financial, and even psychological impacts of isolation and quarantine are real. To effectively protect others while we are contagious, we must give up a lot. Families, schools, healthcare and allied health facilities, along with many workplaces are all struggling to cope right now.
Masking up indoors helps us as individuals and as a community. Even though it may be hot and sweaty. Even though it may be annoying. And if buying effective masks feels too expensive, free ones from various state/federal agencies are still being dropped off at local libraries, community/senior centers, food pantries and town halls. Most schools have them upon request. Reach out to your local town officials if you can’t find any. Please help us get supplies to those who need them.
