The infographic titled “Using Wastewater Monitoring to Track the Spread of COVID-19 in Ohio” by the Ohio Department of Health shows how wastewater monitoring is used to track the spread of COVID-19 in Ohio.

Wastewater is collected at a treatment plant inlet representing all the people in the area that are connected to municipal sewers. The wastewater is then tested at a laboratory for the presence and amount of SARS-CoV-2 virus gene fragments. Results determine if the level of virus is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same within this community. Local health districts and utilities are alerted when the level of virus is increasing in their community. Increased levels of virus fragments in wastewater can provide “lead time” for public health officials to implement interventions.

The infographic also includes a surveillance timeline, showing that wastewater monitoring can provide up to a 314-day lead time over individual case monitoring. This means that public health officials can be aware of an increase in COVID-19 cases in a community weeks or even months before they see a spike in individual case reports.

The infographic concludes by highlighting the importance of wastewater monitoring for tracking COVID-19 at the population level. Wastewater monitoring can provide early warning of outbreaks, even when case counts are low. This information can be used to inform public health interventions, such as targeted testing, vaccination campaigns, and public awareness messaging.

Additional information: The infographic also includes a QR code and link to the Ohio Department of Health website for more information on wastewater monitoring and COVID-19.