Four Models of Wastewater-Based Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Jail Settings: How Monitoring Wastewater Complements Individual Screening
Kennedy, S. S.; Spaulding, A. C.; SWANSS Writing Group,
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ObjectiveTo describe four unique models of implementing Wastewater Based Surveillance (WBS) for SARS-CoV-2 in jails of graduated sizes and differing architectural designs. MethodsThis study summarizes how jails of Cook County (Illinois, average daily population [ADP] 6000), Fulton County (Georgia, ADP 3000, Washington DC (ADP 1600) and Middlesex County (Massachusetts, ADP 875) initiated WBS between 2020 and 2023. ResultsPositive signal for SARS-CoV-2 via WBS can herald new onset of infection in a previously uninfected housing unit of a jail. Challenges in implementing WBS included political will and realized value, funding, understanding of the building architecture, and the need for granularity in the findings. ConclusionsWBS has been effective for detecting outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in differing sized jails, both those with dorm-based and cell-based architectural design. Policy implicationsGiven its effectiveness in monitoring SARS-CoV-2, WBS provides a model for population-based surveillance in carceral facilities for future infectious disease outbreaks.
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