COVID-19 Communication Networks

Our lab is working on a project funded by the Sloan Foundation to build communication networks and tools to aid in the adoption of effective wastewater surveillance programs in interested municipalities. With collaborators in engineering, science communication, and public health, we are developing a communication model for translating surveillance data into public health action. This project draws on nationwide expertise, with collaborators at NYU, Notre Dame, Stanford, and UW-Madison, and specifically focuses on applying knowledge gained in Wisconsin to develop capacity for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance in New York City.

Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Wisconsin

Our lab and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene are working together on a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program in Wisconsin. Researchers have been reporting that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the disease COVID-19, is readily detected in untreated wastewater. Wastewater measurements reflect infection burden at a community-wide scale. By setting up a surveillance program, we can provide local public health agencies information about community-wide trends in virus burden – is it increasing or decreasing before these changes manifest at the hospitals. This extra time provides an opportunity to move valuable resources, alter testing plans, or prepare health care teams. It may also provide reassurances as the state moves to safely reopen the economy.