Big Technology Podcast Managing Omicron With Data From Wastewater? — With Newsha Ghaeli and Mariana Matus of Biobot Analytics
Dec 1, 2021
Newsha Ghaeli and Mariana Matus, co-founders of Biobot Analytics, use wastewater to track disease outbreaks and inform public health strategies. They discuss how analyzing sewage samples can provide early warnings for COVID-19, allowing communities to respond effectively. The conversation touches on the challenges of gaining trust from the public, the balance of health measures with individual privacy, and the broader implications of wastewater data for monitoring both COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic. Truly a groundbreaking approach in public health!
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Wastewater Epidemiology
- Wastewater epidemiology uses sewage data to understand community health.
- It helps track diseases, substance use, and even antibiotic resistance.
Travel Bans and Variant Detection
- South Africa's robust genomic sequencing infrastructure enabled Omicron's detection.
- Travel bans may disincentivize crucial research and prove ineffective against rapid spread.
Lyft's COVID-19 Policy
- Alex Kantrowitz shares an anecdote about Lyft's COVID-19 policy.
- Lyft bans users who report positive tests, discouraging self-reporting.