SARS-CoV-2 surveillance employing sewage: Towards a sentinel system

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 eventually combined with the monitoring of suitable tracers such as cross-assembly phage, pepper mild mottle virus or chemicals tracers related to human activities is a valuable and efficient tool to monitor virus circulation in European Union (EU) cities and towns. This report addresses the investigation of the tool in fast track collaborative effort and ad hoc exercise with stakeholders representing Academia as well as the Water and Public Health Sector.

The assessment reveals insight in methodologies but also entailed costs for the rollout of a European SewageSentinel System for SARS-CoV-2. It also shares the findings of two experimental assessment conducted to link existing and ongoing, national, regional or local surveillance programs. It moreover shares the findings of the accompanying knowledge brokering and transfer events organized to have a rolling exchange of information and review of advances, such as coping with the speed challenge of the rapid dynamics of this pandemic.