The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About12.c. Monthly Lab Update: Covid-19/Wastewater Epidemiology Update Page 1 of 6 Item 12.c. CENTRALSAN Jdf A- hom CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT November 16, 2023 TO: HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM: BLAKE BROWN, PROVISIONAL LABORATORY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR REVIEWED BY: LORI SCHECTEL, ENVIRONMENTAL & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE DIVISION MANAGER GREG NORBY, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER SUBJECT: MONTHLYLAB UPDATE: COVID-19/WASTEWATER EPIDEMIOLOGY UPDATE Staff has provided the Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update as Attachment 1 and will be available to answer questions. Strategic Plan re-In GOAL FOUR: Governance and Fiscal Responsibility Strategy 1 - Promote and uphold ethical behavior, openness, and accessibility GOAL FIVE: Safety and Security Strategy 1 - Reduce and eliminate risks of injury or illness, Strategy 2- Protect personnel and assets from threats and emergencies ATTACHMENTS: 1. Monthly COVI D-19 & Wastewater Epidemiology Update November 16, 2023 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 144 of 175 Page 2 of 6 November 16, 2023, Board Meeting Wastewater Based Epidemiology Memo Update Context & Background Prior to the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there was little infrastructure to support a global, national, or regional epidemiological surveillance program. Since 2020, Central San has participated in local and national efforts to advance wastewater surveillance as a reputable source of information. There is now a mature program for the trending and monitoring of seasonal and emerging respiratory pathogens and the ability to mobilize if there is a threat of an outbreak pathogen. This monthly memo will provide an update on Wastewater Based Epidemiology (WBE) on the local and national scale and Central San's COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan. Central San Surveillance Data & Summary COVID-19 From the SARS-CoV-2 Data for Central San's service area from WastewaterSCAN (as of November 2, 2023), the graph below shows a decline at the end of September and into October, with a slight uptick in mid-October. soa Boa c H 700, -o U soa ma m 3oa a � z aaa C � 300 Or 200 loa a Apr Jul Oct 2d2a Apr Jul Oct WastewaterSCAN Data for SARS-CoV-2 as of November 2, 2023.Timeframe is April 2022- November 2023. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) From the RSV data from WastewaterSCAN (as of November 2, 2023), the graph below shows a peak starting at the beginning of October 2023. The WastewaterSCAN Dashboard indicates that Contra Costa County is considered to have a `high' concentration in the last twenty-one days, and the trend is plateauing in the last fourteen days. RSV wastewater concentrations continue to show increasing trends in the greater Bay Area. In 2022, we saw RSV onset in wastewater occur as early as mid-to-late September in the Bay Area. 1 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 145 of 175 Page 3 of 6 120 no loo a 90 a y 70 7-1 60 ?z 50 c } m o 40 Q� � 30 20 10 a Apr Jul Oct 2023 Apr Jul Oct WastewaterSCAN Data for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)as of October 3, 2023.Timeframe is April 2022- November 2023. Central San's Wastewater Based Epidemiology Partnership Updates Central San is currently providing samples for three programs contributing to the wastewater surveillance system. The three partners are WastewaterSCAN, California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). Below is an update on each of the programs. WastewaterSCAN (Verily Life Sciences, LLC) Central San sends three samples per week of primary sludge to WastewaterSCAN, and the program is currently funded through July 2024. WastewaterSCAN added five new pathogens in September. The new pathogens are Enterovirus D 68, Human Adenovirus Group F, Rotavirus, Candia auris, and Hepatitis A. Verily Life Sciences, LLC was awarded the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) contract for the fourth phase of sampling and will begin sending sample kits in the coming weeks. Central San will be participating in two programs in parallel with Verily. As part of the NWSS program, Verily will analyze for pathogens in the wastewater matrix to align with the prior program data. For the WastewaterSCAN program, Verily will continue to analyze for pathogens in the primary sludge matrix. Data can be found here: https://data.wastewaterscan.orq/?plantld=57573845-4bdb-4cfe-8fc2- 986d5af188cc&charts=Ci8QACABSABaBk4g R2VuZXl KMOAyMy0wNy0xM H I KMjAyMyO wOCOyMYoBBmlzMWQ2Zq%3D%3D&selectedChartld=b31 d6f California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) Drinking Water and Radiation Lab (DWRL) Central San sends three samples per week of raw influent to the California Department of Public Health's Drinking Water and Radiation Lab (DWRL), and the program is funded through July 2025. In late August, CDPH and WastewaterSCAN reached out to Central San and Delta Diablo about collaborating on a validation study of the MPDX detections. As part of the validation, Central San agreed to send split raw influent 2 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 146 of 175 Page 4 of 6 samples to both labs. The split influent samples were in addition to the three primary sludge samples per week sent to WastewaterSCAN. After reviewing the data for the six weeks of sampling that ended on October 21, CDPH and WastewaterSCAN requested an extension of the project for another six weeks, and Central San agreed to participate. The results of the study will be shared with Central San after the project is completed. COVID-19 Data from CDPH be found here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/CalSuWers- Dashboard.aspx National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) in September 2020. CDC developed NWSS to coordinate and build the nation's capacity to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater samples collected across the country. Three phases of the NWSS program have been completed, and the fourth phase was originally planned to begin in October 2023. Phase 1 took place in January and February of 2021, assessed up to 100 treatment plants representing -10% of the US population, and was contracted through AquaVitas, LLC to perform the sample analysis and data reduction. Phase 2 took place from June to August of 2021, assessed 340 treatment plants representing -30% of the US population, and was contracted through Biobot Analytics, Inc. Phase 3 was initially planned to take place from December 2021 to December 2022 but was extended to September 14, 2023. Phase 3 assessed -500 treatment plants and was performed through Biobot Analytics, Inc. On September 26, 2023, the phase four contract was awarded to Verily Life Sciences, LLC. On October 16, 2023, Biobot protested the Verily commercial testing contract. The new contract is on hold until the protest is reviewed and resolved by the Government Accountability Office. A decision is due by January 24, 2024. Once the contract goes into effect, it will provide testing for at least twelve months with options to extend. Due to prior enrollment in the NWSS program, Central San is automatically transitioned into the next phase. Different from the other WastewaterSCAN program that Central San is currently participating in, the sampling for the NWSS program will be raw influent. Data can be found here: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater- surveillance. 3 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 147 of 175 Page 5 of 6 National Update COVID-19 Nationally, the SARS-CoV-2 concentrations are decreasing after a two-month increase. Below are the concentrations from all participating WWSCAN sites across the country; raw data are shown as blue dots, and the population-weighted average is shown as a bold black line. Nationwide WWSCAN Sites:SARS-CoV-2 Ip 4• y a Nr- D*c RM Re wr NW MW J,+, 3J /.q Sop Ca omeebam Door s�rl�wc,.a a nP-u,a•a .,..r.n.euewwn.w,.W Ip1Y +.•riswbcl,a.. Graphic from WastewaterSCAN Newsletter, October 27, 2023 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Nationally, the RSV concentrations are on a continued two-month increase. Below are the concentrations from all participating WWSCAN sites across the country-, raw data are shown as purple dots, and the population-weighted average is shown as a bold black line. NeODnv+ide WWSCAN Sites.Respiratory syncytlal virus 44.41 jp 30 kit G Nov DK am RO W. Al. %I CaMtGnh 09n •#r.S4 iu�c7ltl .�Nor7lVlc, •,utw.el.a i«a,wnl p•rin} •..e„d.k,rran Graphic from WastewaterSCAN Newsletter, October 27,2023 4 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 148 of 175 Page 6 of 6 Central San COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan Central San's COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan, last revised in early 2022, is still in effect, and all District employees are still subject to the provisions set forth in the table below. Central San still conducts contact tracing based on whether other employees had close contact (6 feet or less) or shared air space (400,000 cubic feet) with the positive employee. At this time, those employees who have had close contact are required to quarantine and test, and those who have shared the same air space can continue to work onsite as long as they test and wear a mask. In some cases, employees who may have had close contact with the positive employee but whose absence may result in an adverse operational impact may continue to work onsite as long as they receive approval from Human Resources, continue to remain asymptomatic, test, and wear a mask. Central San Vaccine Clinic On November 8 and 9, Central San's Environment, Health and Safety Group, in collaboration with Contra Costa Health Services, is sponsoring a COVID booster and flu shot vaccine clinic for District staff and their family members. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID boosters will be offered. Both contain the updated formula that protects against the original COVID-19 strain and the new variants. The clinic will be held in the Board Room at the Martinez location. As of November 2, there are 29 registrations. 5 November 16, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 149 of 175