Here’s how Miami-Dade is using wastewater epidemiology research to track the spread of omicron

Earnie Enriquez, a treatment plant operator, stood next to where Miami-Dade County sewage first enters the treatment plant in Miami’s Central Virginia Key District and a collected a sample.

The wastewater sample was handed over to an environmental lab technician. Biobot Analytics, the company that performs the tests, is a spinoff of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student research project.

Epidemiologists are using data on COVID wastewater levels to anticipate future cases of coronavirus in the community. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Thursday there had been a recent increase in cases.

“This is due to the holiday season and the arrival of omicron. It’s an unfortunate reminder to all of us that the pandemic is not over, ”Levine Cava said at a press conference Thursday.

Roy Coley, director of the Miami-Dade water and sewage department, said he is sharing Biobot’s analysis with the University of Miami, county emergency management and medical experts.

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“We see our role in this regard as collecting the information and providing it to experts for use for the betterment of our community and society as a whole,” Coley said.

The omicron detected weekly sampling process is in Miami-Dade, but it is not yet clear how widespread it is, according to Jennifer Messemer-Skold, spokesperson for the water and sewage department.

“As a ministry, we are pioneers. We were the first in the country to do this, ”Coley said of the monitoring program, which began in March 2020.

Other municipalities have followed Miami-Dade County’s lead with Biobot Analytics, which has partnered with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The National Wastewater Monitoring Program produces data on thousands of samples from more than 300 wastewater treatment facilities.

Dr Aileen Marty, an expert in infectious diseases and disaster medicine at Florida International University, said data analysis is essential for public health planning.

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“It has alerted us when new variants are in our community and it lets us know who is likely to come to hospitals and gives us an idea of ​​the likely number we can expect,” Marty said.

Scientists are working to learn more about the omicron. Marty said that although it appears to be more transmissible than the delta variant, the severity of the disease remains unclear and there is insufficient evidence on the impact on the unvaccinated and on the older population.

More than 800,000 Americans, including more than 62,000 in Florida, have died. Marty said the vast majority, around 75%, are people aged 65 or older.

“The vast majority of people who have manifested omicron and are 100% proven to have omicron are individuals who are either younger or fully vaccinated and re-infections are very common with the omicron variant. “said Marty.

Miami-Dade County is also bringing back daily reports of COVID-19-related hospitalizations, expanding viral surveillance and giving the public better access to the vaccine.

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Levine Cava tweeted that the seven-day positivity rate had risen to 7%. Now is the time for those who are eligible for a booster to get one, and for the unvaccinated to consider a protective injection, Marty said.

“As long as there are pockets of under-vaccination, these are potentially worse sources of variants,” Marty said.

Levine Cava said Miami-Dade had the highest vaccination rate in the state and was well above the national average. She urged residents to use face masks, tests, vaccines, booster shots, keep hands clean and respect social distancing.

Miami-Dade also offers vaccines in retirement homes and assisted living facilities. Levine Cava said trucks with vaccines will travel to underserved communities this week.

Starting this week, Miami-Dade will offer vaccines to housebound residents aged 12 or older. For more information on home vaccination or to make an appointment, call 1-888-201-5490 or email [email protected].

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