14 minute read
Featured
Clark’s ‘COVID Posse’ eyes intersection of pandemic and race
Veer Mudambi
Advertisement
Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK
The pandemic has led to no shortage of strange situations — in-person meetings to zoom, inside dining to curbside, and handshakes to elbow bumps. However, an oceanographer, a sociologist and a morphologist working together to analyze the intersection of COVID-19 infections and race is still an unusual mix.
Nathan Ahlgren, professor of biology at Clark, began collecting data early in the pandemic on COVID infection rates in towns throughout Worcester County. Sifting through public records, he would collect each town’s case numbers, graph them and put them up on Twitter, with the hope of making the data more readily accessible.
This would seem a perfectly normal academic pursuit, except Ahlgren, an oceanographer by training, previously researched cyanobacteria at Patch Reservoir. Having teamed up with two other Clark colleagues, Professor Rosalie Torres Stone from the department of sociology and fellow biology professor Philip Bergmann, Ahlgren was the data collector of what students have come to call “the COVID posse.”
While interdisciplinary collaboration is not unusual in academia, for those outside the ivory tower, the various departments and fields of research are considered fairly separate. However, Ahlgren felt confident enough to venture not only into issues of virology and public health, but sociology and racism as well.
Stone, in her wheelhouse, had been studying how certain factors, known as the social determinants of health, played a disproportionately large part in how a community is affected by COVID. Specifically, she looked at how where someone lives can increase their risk of infection, making her research the perfect match for Ahlgren’s location-based research.
Ahlgren’s project began when he wanted to see how things were progressing in individual towns and cities. It was still at that point when a great deal of information was at the state or county level. However, that was too broad because Worcester County is so diverse, encompassing a range of suburban to urban areas. Ahlgren wanted to know what was going on in his city, for instance, “I was curious about why Worcester has higher rates of infection per capita than Shrewsbury next door.” His research on cyanobacteria to COVID is actually not so far a jump, Ahlgren explained, as cyanobacterial viruses can affect humans. “It was unnatural,” he said, referring to his time at Patch Reservoir. “The color was so bold that it looked like paint chips.” He went on to explain that the common thread may be that “when a scientist, no matter the discipline, sees some phenomena or something with data, like a pandemic, you’re curious to look at it and see why it’s happening.”
Stone knew that some factors increase COVID rates and the chance of death, like age and any underlying serious health conditions. “However,” she pointed out, “they were accounted for and rates were still disproportionately high.” Then she began to read numerous
Associate professor of sociology Rosalie Torres Stone, associate professor of biology Philip Bergmann and associate professor of biology Nathan Ahlgren at Clark University. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Posse
Continued from Page 4
articles in peer-reviewed journals on the effect of structural racism on COVID rates, how even when controlling for socio-economic inequalities, minorities were still inordinately affected by the virus.
“Places which are more likely to be racially segregated have certain characteristics that would place the populations living there at risk for COVID and illnesses,” she said. These characteristics are poverty, crowded living conditions, limited access to healthcare, essential worker status, lack of the ability to isolate and work remotely, poor health behavior — lack of exercise, alcohol, drugs, etc.
Bergmann was also interested in working with the numbers from the state and county level in an effort to help towns and cities understand what they were dealing with. He is the one who brings the statistical skills to the table in this project. “A lot of my experience is statistical and I use a quantitative approach to studying evolution of traits, so the opportunity to work with data like this is great.”
Bergmann and Ahlgren both responded to an email from Torres asking for collaboration in understanding the racial disparities in COVID-19 cases. “Nathan has been our data wrangler,” Bergmann said, “he is very proficient at getting this data from public repositories. Where I come in is the analysis — once we have the data, what do we do with it, what is it saying, what are the variations?”
Bergmann studies the evolution of body forms in lizards, specifically snake-like forms, and why they evolve repeatedly. Using similar statistical approaches, he looked for relationships and associations, rather than cause and effect, between health factors, while controlling for other factors like income, living area. “It allowed me to use skills I had in a different way because statistics generally works to discover relationships between variables one is interested in.”
Ahlgren remembered the point at which the work went from curiosity to a research project. “I connected with Rosalie and Phillip last summer, which was when the research and study started, but I had already started seeing the sharp difference between Worcester and surrounding towns probably around April or May 2020.”
While at first Ahlgren made the data accessible by posting graphs on Twitter, “now I try to make weekly updates to the dashboard I built through Flourish, and what started out as something out of curiosity and concern, turned into a sociology project which is very different from what I normally do.”
Bergmann expresses similar sentiments about how it all began. “Started off as a fascina-
Daily case numbers for major towns in Worcester County in comparison to the state total over the past year. NATHAN AHLGREN
Worcester 31CarolineStreet PlantationStreetarea...BrandnewOne-bedroom apartment...includeswasher/dryer,storage,off-street parking,heatandh/w...Nosmoking,nopets. Worcester CenterHillApts 503-505MillSt....TheTatnuckarea’snewestapartment homes.large1&2BR,W/Dineachapt,storage,elevator, heat&hotwaterincluded.Nicewalkingarea.Nopets.
Toviewapartments508-756-2147orcathy@botanybayproperties.com
Posse
Continued from Page 5
tion — a pandemic like this is not something that almost anyone alive today has gone through. We have a wealth of data about it and thinking about how it’s spreading across society is maybe a little morbid but also interesting.” It allowed Bergmann and Ahlgren an opportunity to think about how a crisis like this translates to affecting different people in different ways
Stone really focused on the impact of structural racism on COVID cases but to do that she had to narrow down the definition since it is so broad, and decide on how to unpack the term and choose a measure that would reflect what it really means. She landed on a measure that was the best way to assess the effects of structural racism — residential segregation.
Racial segregation, which typically means the physical separation of two or more different racial groups, usually leads to residential segregation. Stone explained that it stems from a documented history of structural racism, such as discriminatory housing practices that are traceable back to explicit, local/state government laws, which denied bank loans to Black families and others, channeled racial groups into certain areas, and reduced access to high paying jobs.
Residential segregation, therefore, is a significant predictor of COVID outcomes. Stone believes that social determinants of health, whether they are downstream (personal health habits, etc.) or upstream factors (housing, healthcare, etc.) are key to understanding the racial disparities in COVID case numbers.
When they were digging into socioeconomic factors, it occurred to the researchers that data from within the city could be equally as important as between cities, since there is a divide between the east and west side of Worcester, neighborhood wise. The data wasn’t as accessible but the City of Worcester has been updating data on neighborhoods and cases. According to Ahlgren, it does track with demographic differences, most usually income and race.
The big question that Torres tries to tackle is, how to address this? “We need to approach health as a social phenomenon and our approaches need to be intersectoral, involving different institutions,” she said. What does this kind of intersectoral approach look like? It looks like free testing in low resource areas (equity clinics), hazard pay or paid leave if people can’t socially distance, ways to limit crowding in homes or alternative housing, uniform data collection for race/ethnicity, zip code data to figure out where hotspots are possible.
All those indicators would be equally helpful to make vaccination campaigns more robust as well, and Torres is presently working with UMass Medical School studying vaccine hesitancy. The aim is to partner with providers to develop an intervention to get vaccines into the arms of more people.
When the vaccines were publicly available, it came time to make a decision on whether to expand the data to include those numbers. Ahlgreen was frank. “Following the cases has sort of distracted me from my actual research, so I was hesitant to expand it but I was talking to faculty about campus vaccination rates over lunch and I said I’d take a look and pull down the data.” His motivation was the same — the local aspect of vaccination is important. After all, he said, “we’re not shopping in other cities, we’re in our own communities, so I want to help people make the assessment of ‘what’s my risk?’”
The data, according to these researchers, indicates that resurgences will likely be along the same patterns as the initial infections — in the communities that are more vulnerable in terms of income, race and education. Situations like the COVID pandemic often have multiple points of impact, striking at various underlying issues and bringing them to the surface, such as racial disparities in healthcare. These are not always given the attention they need until someone takes a new approach to raising awareness.
For that, someone has to potentially step out of their comfort zone and think of a new way to apply their skills, which is what the three researchers from Clark undertook. “It’s been a tremendous collaboration,” said Torres of the collegial partnership, “though I’ve only met them in person once during the pandemic.”
Bergmann explained that “you can read about how COVID is affecting other communities more than others but it’s an altogether different understanding when you see it reflected in the data.” He and Ahlgren both felt the same way, that it was a valuable way to give back and contribute to the dissemination of information about these issues.
Even though it was outside of Ahlgren’s field of specialty, he wanted to use his skills of organizing and gathering data from public databases to raise awareness. He shared that he has biracial children and it is an issue close to his heart.
Minority percentage populations of Worcester in comparison to the minority percentage of COVID positive results. The disparities can be seen to be disproportionate in the cases of Hispanic and African American populations. Data from the City of Worcester COVID-19 Equity
Taskforce. NATHAN AHLGREN
Daily case of COVID-19 in Massachusetts (per 100,000 people) by town and city as of Aug. 8. Posted to Flourish by Professor Nathan Ahlgren of Clark University. NATHAN AHLGREN
Weeklong Worcester Hot Dog Safari to end with party at Ralph’s Rock Diner
A 2020 hot dog safari participant prepares to dig in. Last year's event was extended to one week rather than taking place on one day to better facilitate social distancing. TOM MAHONEY
Veer Mudambi
Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
As we head into August, it’s that time of year again — the annual Worcester Hot Dog Safari! The end-of-summer tradition kicked off Aug. 13 and will wrap up Aug. 21.
For nine of the last 10 years, residents embarked on a daylong quest with friends and family, armed with scorecards and clad in distinctive T-shirts, to sample the best hot dogs Worcester County has to offer.
The popular late summer event was not daunted by COVID last year; however, to better facilitate social distancing and safety, the event was expanded to one week rather than one day. “We wanted to avoid a bunch of people standing in line together all day,” founder Tom Mahoney explained. Tshirts were made available for pre-order and curbside pick-up rather than first-come, firstserved.
Though restrictions are now lifted, all the changes made last year improved the overall experience so organizers decided to keep it a week-long event. “One day got to be pretty overwhelming for participants and businesses,” said Mahoney.
Mahoney begins planning as early as April, and the preparation only grows with the event each year, he says. However, this year for its 10th anniversary, Mahoney was determined to make it bigger than ever.
“We’re doing an all-star year,” Mahoney explained. Traditionally, the participating locations each year were a curated collection, drawn from a list vetted by Mahoney’s great uncle. The 90-year-old personally scouts establishments throughout the year.
The 2021 Hot Dog Safari, however, features the winning hot dog places from each of the previous years, for a total of 10 locations. Normally, there are about six locations, Mahoney said. In addition to the recommendations of the family patriarch, selections are chosen
SeeSAFARI,Page8
SAMEDAYCROWNSAREHERE! DONEIN1VISIT. NOMORETEMPORARYCROWNS.
THAT’SLOOKINGREALGOOD.
Areyoureadyforadramaticallyimproved experienceonyournextcrown?
UtilizingCERECtechnology,weareabletoprovide same-dayporcelainrestorationsthathappenin hours,ratherthandays-nomoretemporaries,no messyimpressions,nomoremultiplevisits!
•Same-dayrestorations •Beautiful,naturalappearance •Stronger,moreprecisefit •Relaxingpatientexperience
Dr.SalmanKhanani
1084MainSt.,Holden|khananidental.com| @khananidental
*Someexclusionsmayapply:patientmustbeacandidatefordentalimplantsandsomepatientsmayrequirecomprehensivetreatmentplanstomeet theirindividualneeds.Specialdoesnotincludethefeeforextractions,bonegrafts,sinusaugmentationortheneedforasurgicalguide Call508-829-4575tobookyourappointmenttoday! Call508-829-4575tobookyourappointmenttoday! Implant,CosmeticandFamilyDentistry
WM-SPAD0625114016 WM-0000464603-01
The scorecard for the 2021 Worcester Hot Dog Safari. PROMOTIONAL IMAGE
Safari
Continued from Page 7
with the aim of mapping out a clear route for participants to follow that changes every year. This year promised to be more scattered, as it includes the winners of various hot dog runs, further contributing to the logistical challenge.
Participants are touring more than just hot dogs as they traverse the area. “We try to make it a tour of Worcester County,” said Mahoney, “showing off all the things that maybe people don’t know about or can get reacquainted with.”
Last year included a stop-over at Purgatory Chasm among other things. This year, with social distancing less of an issue, Mahoney put together a schedule and program of events as a guide, listing activities organized at different locations such as frisbee golf at Hot Dog Annie’s in Leicester and even hopefully a WooSox game.
Shirts went on sale Aug. 14 at the kickoff party at Ralph’s Rock Diner on Grove Street. As in previous years, proceeds go to the Worcester County Food Bank.
“We decided a long time ago if we were going to do such a gluttonous thing, it makes sense for money to go towards food,” Mahoney said with a laugh.
Scorecards list all locations along with the five categories on which to rate a hot dog - bun, dog, topping, presentation and value. “It’s a little subjective for each person,” said Mahoney, “but that’s part of the fun.”
On Aug. 21, Ralph’s will also be the site of the wrap-up party, beginning at 4 p.m., with music, food and a dunk tank. The Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile will also be there. Ready, set, go!
Jon Pousette-Dart COURTESY OF TALISMAN BROLIN
Jon Pousette-Dart Band still making beautiful harmonies
Ed Symkus
Special to The MetroWest Daily News USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s been four and a half decades since Jon Pousette-Dart caught the attention of Bostonbased music promoter Don Law while playing at the Chicken Box in Nantucket.
Law convinced the native New Yorker to move to Boston, became his manager, and in short order, singer-guitarist Pousette-Dart led a duo, then a trio, then a whole band. During the 1970s, the Pousette-Dart Band released four albums of harmony-filled, country-tinged folk-rock, and got plenty of radio play with songs including “Amnesia,” “What Can I Say,” and “Freezing Hot.”
They toured relentlessly, and Pousette-Dart continued that practice after the band called it quits in the early-’80s. He’d still been at it, sometimes as a solo acoustic act, often dueting with singer-guitarist Jim Chapdelaine, until the pandemic put a stop to live concerts.
But he returns, in band format, to The Center for Arts in Natick on Aug. 27, with Chapdelaine, Eric Parker on drums, and Steve Roues on bass, for an evening of new and old, acoustic and electric music. The next night, Aug. 8, they’re at the Narrows Center in Fall River
He credits some of his early tastes in music to his older sister’s fondness for bringing home all sorts of records.
“She used to collect singles,” said Pousette-Dart by phone from his home in New York’s Hudson Valley. “First, she had Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, then she started getting blues stuff – some John Hammond, Muddy Waters. As soon as I
ADMIRETHELAKEWITH FAMILYANDFRIENDS
LOBSTERROLLS ArebackfortheSummer Indoor&OutdoorDining ReservationsRequired AcousticsonFriday7PM–10PM
