Control at the sewers to curb the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiais the negligence perilous?

ABSTRACT

COVID 19 PANDEMIC has stricken in multiple waves, crippling the nation with each strike. Attempts at curbing its spread has been focused on a few established modes of transmission. Current literature evidence suggests possibility of Feco-oral transmission, detection of viable virus in stools of covid infected individuals, viral shedding several weeks post recovery and potential persistence of viable virus in sewage. Guidelines and protocols laid down have not included this potentially dangerous mode of spread. Many countries including Australia, Finland etc have utilized waste water epidemiology as a tool in surveillance. This can be used as a warning signal for early detection and control. This review article proposes the addition of new guidelines in this spectre to aid in curbing the spread of pandemic as well as adopting sewage surveillance as a tool in primary prevention.