Erin KissaneDec 29, 2022

Among other things, a cogent explanation of why requiring negative tests from travelers is not how we can correct for a lack of genomic surveillance sharing from China

You want variant info? Test and sequence on arrival and *sequence airline wastewater*

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/covid-in-china-the-us-and-everything

See also: “SARS-CoV-2 Testing of Aircraft Wastewater Shows That Mandatory Tests and Vaccination Pass before Boarding Did Not Prevent Massive Importation of Omicron Variant into Europe”

https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/viruses/viruses-14-01511/article_deploy/viruses-14-01511.pdf?version=1657362305

COVID in China, the U.S., and everything in-between

Well, I was very much enjoying my holiday but COVID continues to do its COVID thing. It’s time for an update. China: A humanitarian disaster As expected, the COVID-19 situation in China is out of hand. In an interesting turn of events, China went from a “zero COVID” policy to a “let it rip” policy by dropping all mitigation measures without fully vaccinating the highest of risk or strengthening their healthcare system.

Your Local Epidemiologist
Show threadFannyiDec 29, 2022
@kissane Would testing wastewater ID infected individuals? In not, an entire planeload of people could be delayed when only one person is infected.
Show threadErin KissaneDec 29, 2022
@JimMahler Testing wastewater would be for genetic sequencing to identify variants of concern, not individual sick people. (The “test and sequence on arrival” part is for both.) I would advise reading the post I linked for more.
Show threadFannyiDec 29, 2022
@kissane Thanks for your reply, but perhaps I didn't make my concerns clear. If wastewater tests reveal a variant, would infection during the few hours on the plane show up on individual post-arrival tests? Would we have to put all the passengers in quarantine for a time to be sure they aren't contagious? I realize these things are beyond the scope of your toot and the article you cited, but I thought you might have some ideas.
Show threadErin Kissane

@JimMahler I have never myself heard of wastewater or another population-wide surveillance method used in that way, though I’m obviously not a public health pro! Surveillance techniques are lagging indicators not meant to

Actually blocking knock-on transmission from flights would require the full Hong-Kong style quar for all incoming passengers until pooled or individual sequencing was complete, which I have a hard time imagining the US accepting, given resistance even to masks. 

Dec 30, 2022 at 12:51amWeb
Show threadErin KissaneDec 30, 2022
@JimMahler Not sure how the wording of my previous reply autocorrected in such a deranged way!
Show threadFannyiDec 30, 2022
@kissane Thanks again for your response. Whatever happens, these are tough issues that'll have to be resolved.