University of Tartu scientists to study sewage for second wave of COVID-19

At Thursday's government meeting, a proposal by the University of Tartu (TÜ) was approved which will see a monitoring system developed based on sewage analysis. The primary goal of the system is to discover a potential second wave of COVID-19 as soon as possible.
International experience has shown that sewage analysis can help with discovering traces of the virus before infection can be noted in patients. Sewage analysis also gives regional info regarding the SARS-CoV-2.
Sewage data will be collected in all municipality centers, along with selected locations in cities, like Tallinn Airport, Port of Tallinn and on border crossing points. University of Tartu will work with the Estonian Environmental Research Centre and companies who manage wastewater treatment facilities in cities.
The monitoring study will be conducted from August to December.
Professor Tanel Tenson and senior research fellow Veljo Kisand from TÜ will head the project, the group will also be working with Irja Lutsar, head of the government's COVID-19 research council and professor Andres Merits.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste