Change in Newsletter Schedule

We are decreasing the frequency of this newsletter to once per month. We will continue to update the Western MA COVID Data Dashboard weekly. Visit our website and follow us on Facebook to get the latest updates about COVID.

Get vaccinated and get up to $100 grocery gift card!

If you get vaccinated this June, you could receive up to $100 grocery gift card. There is no limit to the number of gift cards a family can receive, so if a parent brings 3 children to get vaccinated, they will receive $300. 

Long COVID

More and more people are experiencing COVID, though the most recent variant causes less severe illness (especially if you are fully vaccinated and boosted). A recent study suggests that most people will recover and not have long lasting effects. However, there are some people who may experience longer lasting effects. Questions remain about Long COVID, and more research is being done to understand it.

What is long COVID? Also called "post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)", Long COVID is the term used to describe an array of symptoms that can last for months or longer after the initial coronavirus infection. The most common symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, breathing problems, coughing, an erratic heart rate, headaches, dizziness, hypertension, damage to the heart, lungs or kidneys, depression and "COVID fog" (problems with memory and concentration).

Who is at risk of experiencing long COVID? Long COVID has been identified in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and in both those with mild symptoms and those who experience severe illness. Understanding and information about long COVID is still forthcoming. A new study by the CDC suggests that more than 1 in 5 adult COVID survivors in the U.S. may develop long COVID. There are still a lot of questions that remain, for example, this study did not take into account vaccination status.

What should you do if you have symptoms? If you suspect you might be dealing with long COVID, talk to your primary care provider. More providers are becoming familiar with how to deal with long COVID. You can also try to get more information and help from a post-COVID Care Center or through the Recover Initiative.

How can you avoid long COVID? Do your best to prevent infection by staying up to date on your COVID vaccination and following other preventive measures.

COVID Rebound

What is COVID Rebound? COVID-19 rebound is a phenomenon that has been observed since the beginning of the pandemic, and it may be part of the natural course of infection for some individuals regardless of treatment and vaccination status. It typically occurs between two and eight days after initial recovery and presents as a recurrence in symptoms OR a new positive viral test after having tested negative.

What should you do if experiencing COVID Rebound? During rebound, individuals can be contagious, so it’s important to take precautions to minimize the spread of the virus. The CDC recommends individuals with COVID-19 rebound to:

• Re-isolate for at least 5 full days. Re-isolation may end after 5 days IF fever has resolved for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and other symptoms are improving. Find detailed isolation guidance here.
• Wear a mask around others (including household) for 10 full days after rebound began.
• If symptoms are persisting or worsening, individuals should contact their healthcare provider.

Does treatment cause COVID rebound? It is unclear at this time if rebound is in fact more likely to occur following Paxlovid treatment. Paxlovid continues to be the recommended treatment for mild-to-moderate infection in those who are at higher risk for severe disease. On May 24th, the CDC issued an advisory in response to reports of “COVID-19 rebound”.

• Positive COVID-19 Test, Now What? 6/7/22 from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm: Baystate Health is hosting a virtual event featuring Dr. Armando Paez and Dr. Amanda Westlake. Learn more and register.
• Condition of Education in Western MA 2022, 6/9/22 at 11:30am: Please join us in Holyoke for a conversation on the state of education in Western Massachusetts. This event will put a local focus on findings of the Condition of Education in the Commonwealth report and bring together members of the business and education communities to discuss supporting educators and planning for the future after the challenges of the past two years. Learn more and register.
• Navigating Local Policy to Advance Community Change, 6/16/22 from 9:30 am- 12:30 pm: Join the Community Health Training Institute, in partnership with the Massachusetts Public Health Association, for a training about navigating local policy to advance community change. Come learn about public health policy for coalitions and individuals, best practices for engaging in the legislative process, exploring state-level policy processes, and the best places to plug in. Learn more and register!
• History of Tobacco, Slavery, and Health: Understanding how yesterday influences the decisions we make today, 6/24/22 from 12:00-1:15 pm: Join us for a webinar hosted by Wanda Givens, featuring Michael Scott from the Center for Black Health and Equity and Doris Cullen from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. African Americans suffer disproportionately in almost all categories of health disparities. This presentation will delve into the contributing factors of African American health disparities including menthol-flavored tobacco and how systemic racism, which will provide context to the cumulative effects of racism over centuries, has set the playing field today that we are all operating on – how it shows up in our lives, wealth and health – using tobacco as a medium for the story. Learn more and register.