Public Service Announcement
Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Participating in COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Strategy
Release Date: January 13, 2022
The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay advises the public it closely monitors information related to COVID-19. As residents know, as of 12:01 AM, Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the entire Province is under COVID-19 Alert Level 4.
https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/alert-levels/alert-level-4/
In September 2021, the provincial Department of Environment and Climate Change launched the COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Strategy. The background indicated by the Province is as follows:
“The virus that causes covid-19 is known as SARS-CoV-2. People with covid-19 can shed this virus in their stool whether they have symptoms, have no symptoms, have had a covid-19 test, or were never diagnosed. Monitoring municipal wastewater for the virus that causes covid-19 allows for the detection of the virus in a large population and can provide an early warning of positive and asymptomatic cases of covid-19 in the community and possible outbreaks. Wastewater monitoring consistently captures most of the population with covid-19, given that everyone goes to the washroom. Wastewater monitoring can serve as a tool for mass public health surveillance and can assist in directing public health guidance.”
Source: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/waterres/wastewater-surveillance-for-covid-19-virus/
Although the Province halted the Surveillance Strategy during the last two weeks of December 2021, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay assures the public that it has been involved in the strategy from its beginnings. The approach restarted in early January, and the Province has confirmed that a passive wastewater sample taken on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, has indicated a trace presence of COVID-19.
Residents can view the Results Dashboard at the following link:
https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/waterres/wastewater-surveillance-for-covid-19-virus/
The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is actively and willingly participating in the Wastewater Surveillance Strategy; however, the Province is responsible for facilitating the Wastewater Surveillance Strategy and the subsequent reporting and updating of results.
For more information and to stay up to date on COVID-19, visit: