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COVID-19 wastewater monitoring program begins in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) - The program to track levels of COVID 19 in communities by testing wastewater is now up and running, and expanding.
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah reports that sampling has already begun in Rockland and Boothbay.
Bethel, Bath, Wilton, Yarmouth and Guilford-Sangerville will begin in the coming days, with the first numbers being reported as early as next week.
This program is a partnership with the US CDC.
Shah says that for this to be effective, it takes time and data to form a baseline.
“So the first several weeks of wastewater surveillance screening data will be used to establish a baseline. We’re going to be public with that, but having established a baseline because it might be different in one community versus another community. The thing to look for then is the trend is the trend going upward is it going downward? The second thing to look for is very significant, concentrated spikes,” said Shah.