Page 20 - Covid 12 July 2021

studies have minimal epidemiological and public health value unless they are designed based on ground level granular data on the pandemic since its beginning.
Contact info:
ls.shashidhara@iiserpune.ac.in, sapna.poti@gov.in
Website link:
www.pkc.org.in
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using wastewater in
Bengaluru city
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) manages wastewater systems through more than 25 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and supplies treated water for irrigation, industrial use, and recharging of urban lakes (https://www.bwssb.gov.in). National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is currently engaging with BWSSB for regular sampling of non-treated, treated, and sludge samples from different STPs. These samples are to be tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNAs using standard qRT-PCR and also to be used for standardising and optimising other novel methods. A formal memorandum of understanding is in place between NCBS and BWSSB to perform the above mentioned activities.
Wastewater epidemiology is a powerful tool to understand the dynamics of not just SARS CoV-2 but many other emerging pathogens. In addition to detecting the SARS CoV-2 genome, this study would identify variants circulating in the populations. Repeated sampling at regular intervals would help track emerging variants and their dynamics over time. This information can be correlated with the clinical data from the catchment area. Besides, prevalence information would actively be used as an indicator of infection load and the health status of the catchment area population. By actively engaging with BWSSB, NCBS hopes to build capacity at BWSSB to implement wastewater epidemiology for public health purposes. This collaborative effort would strengthen knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 in the city and build the capabilities of both institutions − BWSSB and NCBS − to understand and manage wastewater in Bengaluru city better.
Envisaged workflow of wastewater sample collection, processing, and whole genome sequencing
Contact info:
sapna.poti@gov.in
VOL. IV ISSUE 6
VIGYAN PRASAR 16
NATION’S S&T EFFORTS AGAINST COVID-19