Thread by @beansprouts_mom

Okay, so I checked the wastewater again, and it was vastly different. Excluding the latest data, I zoomed again on the same time frame. Upward trends last week are now downward? @GovCanHealth can you please explain?!

https://twitter.com/beansprouts_mom/status/1534381937107709952

I heard back (thanks @GovCanHealth for being speedy & thorough 💕).

Re: discrepancies TL:DR data error & correction

Samples collected by Metro Van & analysed by BCCDC &National Microbiology Laboratory
Winnipeg. BCCDC and NML have slightly different methods (🤔). Periodic checks to see how methods are tracking.

Why is BCCDC and NML wastewater COVID analysis methods different? No standard practice yet, and we have slightly different operational needs (🤔). Working on common standard Canada & internationally (Peanut gallery: This can't happen fast enough!)

PHAC usu has local/provincial agency or academic colleague that is testing the wastewater as well. (@RyanZiels - is @UBCCivilLabs playing verification role?)

Re normalizing to pepper mild mottle virus (so cool - see ref next tweet!)

PHAC said yes, BUT due to reagent issue, had to stop for awhile. This has resumed and, yep, normalization in that way has proven useful.

Public normalization data should be available by end Jun 🥳

Reference to normalizing COVID wastewater sampling to the pepper mild mottle virus is here:

https://twitter.com/sciencecohen/status/1501931731955318785?s=20&t=_6T98zBETr4E_Rs6F38AVQ

I hope @GovCanHealth appreciates how grateful we are for this data. Several ppl in many provs pull & share, from screenshots (lazy me) to pulling data and replotting, like @anarchodelphis. Some greater clarity on specific data issue would be great.

https://twitter.com/anarchodelphis/status/1538644704530550784?s=20&t=_6T98zBETr4E_Rs6F38AVQ

For reference, I pulled some screenshots today to compare. Solid line is rolling 7-day average, dotted line is daily value.

Here's Lulu Island (Richmond). As @anarchodelphis notes, big spike then drop. Very odd.

Here's Annacis Island WWTP (Burnaby, Surrey, New West, (Po) Coq & NW Langley

Um, #COVIDisNotOver!!!

And, Iona (Vancouver) and Lions Gate (North Shore)

My guess? About as low as it's gonna get and going up soon (see Fraser Valley, Ontario, much of US, UK, Europe - you don't really think we're unicorns, do you?!) #COVIDisNotOver

Oh, and my wastewater COVID level snapshots above were just looking at Omicron (BA.1) wave onward. If you want to get a feel for how high our COVID levels are historically, here you go:

#WearADamnMask #bced #bcpoli #COVIDisAirborne

To add to the wastewater picture and further underscore the current high levels of COVID circulating in BC, also check out this plot by @rdumont99

https://twitter.com/rdumont99/status/1538721535585710082?s=20&t=ZDZAlGjsalrTadcUZphGaA