1. The Implementation and Utilization of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology: Experiences From a Local Health Department.
- Author
-
Swain MJ, Carter B, Snowdon K, and Faust RA
- Subjects
- Humans, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2, Wastewater, Health Facilities, COVID-19 epidemiology
- Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology has increasingly demonstrated its importance in addressing public health threats. The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth funding for public health agencies to conduct wastewater-based epidemiology. Using a team with diverse skills, a local health department utilized this funding to regularly monitor SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater on university campuses, a K-12 campus, an inpatient psychiatric facility, and a long-term care facility. Between September 2021 and May 2022, more than 760 wastewater samples were collected of which 102 (13.4%) were above a predetermined threshold. When sites exceeded that threshold, local health department staff provided testing resources. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a useful surveillance program that can be effectively conducted by local health departments when provided with funding and a skilled workforce., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2023
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