Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a series of new initiatives related to COVID-19 testing that will improve New York State’s ability to detect and control the virus in communities throughout the state.
The governor announced the launch of a pilot program to detect the presence of COVID-19 in wastewater, designed to establish an early indicator system to predict virus spread in communities. $ 500,000 will support expansion of the initial wastewater sampling undertaken in Onondaga County and begin collection of sampling in three additional communities, Albany, Newburgh and Buffalo.
In addition, after the New York Contact Detection Program identified several new clusters on farms associated with seasonal workers who recently traveled to New York, the governor announced that the Department of Public Health and Department of Agriculture and Markets will send mobile test teams to farms in rural counties. throughout the state, and also assist in accessing insulation housing where needed for workers who test positive.
The governor also announced that New York State University has been approved by the New York State Department of Health to test pool supervision for COVID-19 – an innovative method where multiple parts can be performed as part of one test. SUNY’s approach to pool testing was developed and validated by the SUNY Upstate Medical University laboratory, and will use saliva test monuments, collected in groups as small as 10 and as large as 25 samples. SUNY Upstate will be able to conduct at least 12,000 more daily tests as a result of this innovative approach.
“As New Yorkers remain vigilant in stopping the spread and cautiously reopening our communities, we will continue to aggressively concentrate on testing to detect and control new outbreaks of coronavirus,” he said. Governor Cuomo said. These new testing initiatives, analyzing wastewater for COVID, deploying mobile testing teams to tackle on-farm clusters, and investing in new capacity with pool testing, will be a critical part of our state’s efforts to test, too. to detect and isolate – and to defeat the virus. ”
Pilot for discovery of wastewater
The wastewater pilot will be used to assess the possibility of a statewide initiative to use wastewater as a leading indicator of the prevalence of COVID-19 in the population, usefulness in predicting diagnostic tests and needs for contact detection, as well as potential mitigation measures as hospital prepared, the need to strengthen Executive Orders or re-evaluate reopening plans. The New York State Department of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are participating in the pilot program with Syracuse University, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse-based Quadrant Biosciences, and the engineering consulting firm Arcadis.
Beginning in the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific studies demonstrate that the genetic material, RNA, of the disease-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, could be detected in the feces of up to 40 percent of infected individuals, even those that are asymptomatic. Although it is not believed that wastewater is a viable source of disease transmission, this provided a strong indication that the genetic signal could potentially be discovered in wastewater. Infectious disease transmission transmission via wastewater was used decades ago to track the transmission and destruction of poliovirus.
Limited sampling has already been implemented in Onondaga County’s wastewater system and the $ 500,000 in new funding announced by the governor today will support the expanded pilot study on an increased frequency of sampling in Onondaga County and in three additional communities, Albany, Newburgh and Buffalo. These communities have features and areas that can provide specific control for smaller geographic areas, such as residential, industrial, commercial and / or resort areas. Up to 12 locations, such as sewers, will be identified within each community and sampled three times a week over a four-week period to determine trends in SARS-CoV-2 levels in each sewer. The relationship between wastewater virus data and COVID-19 cases within the corresponding area will be analyzed. The pilot study will also provide an in-depth daily sampling program at 10 high-concern locations of special interest.
“This exciting surveillance program is another tool in New York’s pandemic arsenal to evaluate the effectiveness of social distance measures and re-establish the state’s phase,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “As we prepare for an expected ‘second wave’ of virus transmission this fall, we need to use every piece of available scientific data to inform ourselves and ensure our communities that we are ahead of the virus when it recurs.”
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “Through the state’s response to COVID-19, Governor Cuomo has urged New Yorkers and urged the nation to advance science’s safest path. This innovative initiative has the potential to provide valuable data and guidance that In the absence of a national strategy to protect our communities from this virus, millions of Americans have followed the lead of New York because our experts are led by science and this pilot will serve to New Yorkers benefit and potentially the nation. ”
Mobile testing for workers at seasonal companies
New York State has seen an increase in clusters associated with farms employing seasonal workers who have traveled out of the state. These clusters have historically been thanks to the higher number of workers in the neighborhood since farms and food production facilities have remained open as essential businesses. There are also municipal housing facilities that provide some farms for workers, which pose a higher risk of COVID transmission. Recognizing that there are multiple factors that increase the risk of COVID transmission present at farms in NYS, the State Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture and Markets will deploy mobile testing teams to counties that have the highest influx of seasonal workers to have. The state will also support, if necessary, access to isolation housing for workers who test positive.
SUNY pool tests approval with quest
The State University of New York has been approved by the New York State Department of Health to conduct pooled surveillance tests for Covid-19 – an innovative method where multiple samples can be performed as part of one test. SUNY’s approach to pool testing was developed and validated by SUNY Upstate Medical University’s laboratory and Quadrant Biosciences, and will use saliva samples, pooled in batches as small as 10 and as large as 25 samples.
With the pool testing, about 10-25 people can be screened in one test. The tests can be done with saliva instead of through swabs that are inserted into a patient’s nose. Individuals manage the tests themselves, soak their mouths for 10 or 15 seconds each, and deliver the saliva samples to medical personnel.
Their samples are combined into one, which is tested for coronavirus. A negative test means that all 10-25 people in the group at a time are assumed to be coronavirus-free. A positive test for the pool would mean that each person in that group should be individually tested by a PCR test.
“In the coming weeks, SUNY will reopen higher education throughout the state with some of its 415,000 students and 90,000 staff returning to our 64 campuses,” said Robert Megna, SUNY Officer in Charge. “Thanks to the SUNY Upstate Medical research team, and Quadrant Biosciences and the team at SUNY System and SUNY Research Foundation, our testing capabilities have expanded significantly. It will be faster and more cost-effective for the surveillance tests we need when we start resume living on campus. We thank the governor for his leadership and the New York Department of Health for approving these tests. “
“SUNY Upstate Medical University appreciates the state’s support for the Detective Protocol we have developed with Quadrant Biosciences,” said Mantosh Dewan, MD, interim president of SUNY Upstate Medical University. “Upstate’s work with Quadrant Biosciences, a start-up company in New York, has led to significant breakthroughs in the development of saliva-based diagnostic solutions for neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, Parkinson’s disease and injuries. Approaches to help colleges and universities “The unusual and complex work of preparation for the return of students to campuses throughout the state is an important part of New York’s response to the COVID pandemic.”
