Evaluation of wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in a prison population: a mixed-methods approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prisons are high-risk settings for the transmission of communicable disease. Robust surveillance systems are required to identify and control outbreaks. Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 was introduced in four prisons in Wales in March 2022. We investigated its contribution to the COVID-19 surveillance programme.

Methods

We evaluated prison wastewater surveillance against eight system attributes using a mixed-methods approach. Semi-structured interviews were completed with key stakeholders to assess usefulness, flexibility and acceptability. Quantitative analyses were completed to assess data quality, sensitivity, positive-predictive value, representativeness and timeliness. To assess sensitivity of the system to detect changes in incidence we carried out a t

SUBMITTER: Jones G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11611585 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature