Investigating viral diseases requires a holistic approach to the epidemiologic triad: the agent, the host, and the environment. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) or environmental surveillance (ES) has been an effective tool to assess viral transmission at a community level, especially for polio and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. It can provide information on virus circulation and give data on the extent of the outbreak. In addition, ES can be used as an early warning system for a community’s impending surge of cases.
ES for SARS-CoV-2 has potential in countries where traditional clinical testing in human samples is not feasible at a large scale, like the Philippines. Asymptomatic infections and the high rates of vaccination coupled with hesitancy to seek medical consult make human-based surveillance a challenge. This study will help establish a proof-of-concept for WBE as a complementary tool for COVID-19 detection using the Environmental Surveillance for the established Polio network in the Philippines.
Read our policy brief here to know more about the Paradigm Shift in Surveillance System
DOWNLOAD THE PDF FILE HERE