Town Of Dover: 3.14.2022 Dover COVID-19 Update

Press release from the Town of Dover:

March 14, 2022

COVID-19 Update 3/14/22

The number of COVID cases in Dover reported by the Department of Public Health, in the table below, has fallen slightly since the last report. The DPH data don't include positive home test results, and in addition, many people with COVID are asymptomatic and never tested, so the true number of cases is likely to be much higher.

Separately, the DPH also reported 5 Dover cases for 3/2-3/8.  Again, this report included only people who had laboratory-performed PCR tests.

The % test positivity in Dover hasn't changed significantly over the past three reporting periods and is consistent with continued stable COVID transmission.

The Dover-Sherborn schools test symptomatic students with rapid antigen tests and report those results to the Dover and Sherborn Boards of Health.  There was only one positive test in the school system during the seven-day period of 3/5-3/11/2022. 

At this point in time, results of MWRA wastewater testing are probably the most reliable indicator of the level of COVID transmission in eastern Massachusetts because the results don't depend on the testing of infected individuals.  MWRA wastewater data show that, following a steep decline in January-February, 2022, viral RNA levels have leveled off.  At this point, they are approximately where they were in late July, 2021 in the early stage of the Delta surge.  The lowest numbers of the pandemic occurred during June/early July, 2020 and June/early July, 2021.  

In summary:

• COVID is still circulating in our area
• Infection rates are relatively low and are stable right now
• It's impossible to predict when rates will rise or fall and when/if new variants will emerge that will cause additional surges

VACCINATION AND BOOSTER DOSES

• Vaccination and boosting is the best strategy for prevention of serious illness and death from COVID.  See below for a graphic display of the benefits of vaccination and of a booster
• Find a convenient location for vaccination here

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/united-states-rates-of-covid-19-deaths-by-vaccination-status?time=2021-12-11..latest&country=~All+ages

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.