Using wastewater to estimate real-world vaccine effectiveness

In an epidemic, better knowledge can lead to wiser policy and can save lives. Can wastewater-based measurements of SARS-CoV-2 activity help us understand the effects of COVID-19 vaccination, and how those effects might change with new variants like Delta? To understand how wastewater can help us better understand the role of vaccines during this Delta […]

How to Pandemic Proof Your City

Did you ever play that game when you were little, the one where they asked you: what do these five things have in common? Let’s play. Polio. COVID. Fentanyl. Chlamydia. Asbestos. You scratch your head. They’re not all diseases. They’re not all mind-altering chemicals. But they’re all problematic, even in small doses.  And then, wait […]

Combating the “Tripledemic” on Campus

Coming this fall to a college campus near you, but it’s not a scary movie. The “tripledemic” is a dangerous combination of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, and it has the potential to wreak havoc on campuses and communities this winter season. What can we do about it? The answer can be found in our sewage. […]

What can wastewater tell us about vaccine effectiveness?

This respiratory season, there are now vaccines available for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. As vaccination expands across the US, the ability to monitor virus concentrations in sewage in parallel with vaccine rollout – along with reported cases and hospitalizations – can provide real-world evidence for, and improve our understanding of, the impact of vaccination on […]