Town Of Dover: 1.07.2022 Dover COVID-19 Update

Press release from the Town of Dover:

January 7, 2022

COVID-19 UPDATE : 1.7.2022 

COVID cases continue to increase rapidly in Dover, in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States. The emergence of the Omicron variant and the increase in social interactions over the holidays have played major roles in the surge. The actual number of cases is much higher than the number reported because so many are asymptomatic or never diagnosed or reported.  Hospitalizations and deaths are rising although not as steeply as the number of cases. COVID caused by the Omicron variant appears to be milder than that caused by Delta, and people who are vaccinated and boosted are very unlikely to require hospitalization if they have breakthrough infection.

ACCESS TO TESTING

AFC Urgent Care mobile testing unitThere will be an AFC Urgent Care mobile testing unit at the Regional School for two hours per day, three days per week for three weeks in January. Testing will be available to Dover-Sherborn students, faculty, and staff.  It will also be available for all Dover and Sherborn residents and Town employees if there is sufficient capacity.  

 The mobile testing unit will perform a rapid molecular test, Abbott ID Now, which is similar to a PCR test.  It is appropriate for testing of people with symptoms and for testing of close contacts on day 5 of quarantine.  People with active COVID who need a test on day 5 of isolation should not have a molecular test, but should use a rapid antigen test instead.  

The Dover Board of Health will post information about availability, dates, times, and pre-registration on this page once we have additional information.  

AFC Urgent Care will bill insurance for the tests, and individuals will be responsible for payment if their insurance providers reject the claims or if they have not yet met their deductibles.  

Rapid antigen test kitsOn January 6, the Board of Selectmen approved a Board of Health request to purchase rapid antigen tests in bulk with American Recovery Plan Act funds.  The BOH will post information on this page once we have further information about the tests. 

FOR DOVER COVID-19 OR OTHER TOWN ALERTS AT https://www.doverma.org/list.aspx 

Please contact the Board of Health with questions or comments at 508-785-0032, extension 232.

Check out Dover's COVID-19 Communications page

This press release was produced by the Town of Dover. The views expressed are the author's own.