Testing wastewater for COVID-19 - a new project currently underway!
Published on Jul 19, 2020
We are excited to share a first look into a new project currently underway at Quadrant Biosciences.
Our company, in collaboration with Syracuse University, Upstate Medical University, SUNY College of Environmental and Forestry, and global engineering firm Arcadis, are analyzing wastewater across New York State for the COVID-19 virus. Read the article about this work in Jefferson County here.
Wastewater surveillance acts as an early warning system for COVID-19 by detecting the presence of viral RNA shed into the sewer systems. Our analysis of wastewater samples will provide local health officials and policymakers with early indications and information regarding the presence and preponderance of COVID-19 infections in these communities.
Because this allows for large regions to be effectively tested for the presence of the COVID-19 virus, it provides a cost effective and efficient way to screen residents in towns, cities, states and universities, even in the absence of individual testing.
Moreover, information from this testing will help municipalities and states to estimate COVID-19 transmission in real time, provide instant feedback on social distancing and reopening phases, help predict hospitalizations from COVID-19, and provide confidence for locations with zero transmission to resume normal activity.
Here is link to article about this work in one of the counties in New York State.
Please stay tuned as we provide more details about this and other projects in the coming days and weeks.
For more information, including information on the risks involved, please read our offering circular and supplement found here.