[Vision2020] Fwd: ADV: Increased Concentration of COVID-19 in City of Moscow Wastewater

Mon Jul 13 18:31:04 PDT 2020

I was in the Moscow main post office lobby at about 5 PM today, waiting to
mail a package.  This post office has posted signs requiring masks, and of
course the order for masks required in public in Moscow has been well
advertised.  Three people were clustered together at the main counter being
attended to by a postal clerk.  Forget about six feet social distancing
being observed by these patrons, none of them had masks on!  No one said a
word to them about this behavior, that I noticed.  When I was at the
counter mailing my package, I asked the postal clerk if they enforced the
mask order.  The postal clerk said they did...  I pointed out that the
three customers prior to me were not wearing masks.  The postal clerk said
they did not notice.

In both Safeway and Winco since the mandatory mask order, in my brief
visits I have observed people shopping without masks with no attempt that I
saw to enforce the mask requirement.  The Moscow Food CO-OP and the Moscow
Public Library however are enforcing the mask order, from what I have
observed.

I wonder if anyone has faced a citation or any legal outcome for violating
the mask order, or if this mask order amounts to a statement of "good
intentions" with no legal substance!
--------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 4:17 PM Debi Robinson-Smith <debismith at moscow.com>
wrote:

> Help me remember....When was the Doug Wilson Revival Show? Maybe some
> linkage? Don't want to make unfounded accusations about
> irresponsibility.....Maybe we just opened too soon like some other places,
> maybe some young people had non-social distancing/no masks gatherings? We
> can do better, Moscow! Glad to see masks everywhere this week! Thanks to
> the Mayor and City for protecting all of us. Thanks to the businesses who
> responded so well and quickly! I am proud to live in a town that values its
> citizens!
>
> Debi R-S
> On 7/13/2020 3:58 PM, Tom Hansen wrote:
>
> I was tested about a month ago before my colonoscopy at Gritman.  I
> received the results of the test (negative) 4-5 days later.  I was under
> home quarantine during those 4-5 days.
>
> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
>
> "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
> http://www.TomandRodna.com/MoscowCares <http://www.moscowcares.com/>
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> “A stranger is just a friend you haven't met.” - Roy E. Stolworthy
>
> On Jul 13, 2020, at 3:43 PM, Ron Force <ronforce at gmail.com>
> <ronforce at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 
> Sorry to have reposted the information. Missed seeing your post. I did
> some further research on Biobot. The company started form a prof and
> students at MIT.  They did an initial sample run in Boston and published
> the results, which still await peer review:
> "Biobot estimated that anywhere from 0.1% to 5% of the population could be
> infected with COVID-19. That’s a wide range, in part because it’s uncertain
> just how many virus particles an infected person excretes. But even the low
> end of the range is several times higher than the state’s officially
> reported caseload of 0.026% at the time of the study."
>
> https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2020/04/14/somerville-startup-biobot-analytics-scours-sewage-for-coronavirus
>
> I have heard of younger individuals in Moscow who get ill, but don't
> report to their doctor. And, how many infected individuals are asymptomatic
> is still a question.
>
> Ron Force
> Moscow Idaho USA
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 2:09 PM Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
>
>> See below . . .
>>
>> Courtesy of the City of Moscow (the one in Idaho).
>>
>> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
>>
>> "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
>> http://www.TomandRodna.com/MoscowCares <http://www.moscowcares.com/>
>>
>> Tom Hansen
>> Moscow, Idaho
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> *From:* City of Moscow <listserv at civicplus.com>
>> *Date:* July 13, 2020 at 1:34:02 PM PDT
>> *To:* thansen at moscow.com
>> *Subject:* *ADV: Increased Concentration of COVID-19 in City of Moscow
>> Wastewater*
>>
>> 
>> [image: City of Moscow Logo]
>>
>> *PRESS RELEASE* Increased Concentration of COVID-19 in City of Moscow
>> Wastewater
>>
>> *July 13, 2020 (Moscow, Idaho) -- *The City of Moscow applied for, and
>> was accepted to participate in a subsidized program to test for the
>> presence of COVID-19 in wastewater. Biobot Analytics, a company that
>> previously studied opioids in wastewater, initiated a program to track
>> COVID-19 in wastewater. Biobot developed a process to identify, replicate,
>> and measure the concentration of the viral RNA (ribonucleic acid) within a
>> given wastewater sample. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Biobot has analyzed
>> COVID-19 prevalence in roughly 400 cities across America.
>>
>> Biobot states that its methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in sewage are
>> adapted from CDC protocols and relies on detecting genetic fragments of the
>> virus that are excreted in stool, which does not determine if the virus is
>> dead or active. Biobot's methodology is available at
>> www.biobot.io/covid19.
>>
>> During the month of May, Moscow provided weekly test samples. The first
>> three tests resulted in no detectable COVID-19. On Jun. 16, the City
>> received the results for the May 27 test. This sample showed a
>> concentration which Biobot used to estimate 190 cases of COVID-19 in the
>> community. The City ordered another test kit to verify the May 27 results,
>> and notified the Public Health of the outcome of the test.
>>
>> On Jul. 9, the City received the results for the follow-up sample
>> collected on Jul. 1. This sample showed a marked increase in
>> concentrations, which Biobot used to estimate 1,400 cases in the community.
>> Estimating cases based on concentration is an emerging science, and there
>> are several variables that could impact accuracy, especially in a smaller
>> system like Moscow's. These include: rain events, daily flow variations,
>> cleaning of sewer lines, etc.
>>
>> "It is important to note that the Biobot data provides estimates, not
>> actual cases. While we can't rely on the accuracy of the case estimation,
>> the thing that is certain is that we are seeing significantly increased
>> concentrations of COVID-19 in our wastewater," said Gary Riedner, Moscow
>> City Supervisor. "We will continue to monitor levels in our wastewater, and
>> continue to share the results with the healthcare professionals.  We are
>> sharing information with the Idaho North Central District Health Department
>> and appreciate their collaboration.  These results underscore the need for
>> increased efforts in hygiene, such as washing your hands and not touching
>> your eyes, nose, mouth and face, practicing social distancing of at least
>> six feet apart from all but household members, and wearing face coverings
>> to help prevent community spread of COVID-19."
>>
>> The area served by the Moscow Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility serves
>> the area within Moscow City limits and the Southeast Moscow Sewer District
>> located just outside of Moscow east city limit boundary. Testing will
>> continue under collaboration  with the University of Idaho. The Biological
>> Sciences and Civil & Environmental Engineering Departments at the U of I,
>> utilizing funding from the IMCI (Institute for Modeling Collaboration and
>> Interaction), are initiating a regional wastewater testing program with
>> plans to start processing samples within two weeks.
>>
>> ###
>>
>> *Story Contact:* Gary J. Riedner, City Supervisor
>> *Phone: *208-883-7006
>> *Email: *griedner at ci.moscow.id.us
>>
>> *City of Moscow *
>>
>> 206 E Third Street
>> Moscow, ID 83843
>> Contact: Gary J. Riedner, City Supervisor
>> Phone - 208.883.7006
>> Email - griedner at ci.moscow.id.us
>> Website - www.ci.moscow.id.us
>>
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>> 206 East 3rd St - Moscow, ID 83843
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