Thread by @macroliter

When it comes to #wastewater (ww) detection, all COVID-19 variants — and more broadly, all respiratory viruses, are not created equal. 🧵

https://twitter.com/inselmit2bergen/status/1484611133277454346

Going forward, we need combined approaches to track all sorts of viruses & microbes that threaten our health & our economies: air samplers, ww, and yes: direct samples from people, too (saliva, nasal swabs) & even animals #OneHealth. 2/

Importantly, however, I cannot stress enough the need to look beyond the pure technology driven solutions. It’s not just genome sequencing machines, library prep, read QC, 🧬 consensus assembly & phylogenetics. Community engagement & “buy-in” from general public is PIVOTAL. 3/

Scientists & public health workers, please please collaborate w/ sociologists. Engage w/ folks in your communities. We must not wait for cases to show up in hospitals to identify a new microbial / viral threat is on the loose. 4/

We need #EquitableGenomicSurveillance solutions. If we fail to address Equity —full circle, 360°—we won’t be ready for the next pandemic. Nor will we be able to fully benefit from powerful new models for infection control that new 🧬 sequencing tech can offer us 🙏 5/(end)