COVID-19 surveillance in public buildings using vacuumed dust

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Abstract COVID-19 has resulted in over 500,000 deaths in the US alone since the start of the pandemic. Even with vaccine distribution, it will not be eradicated in the near future. We urgently need other methods for building- scale surveillance of high-risk groups, such as individuals living in dormitories, congregate care facilities, and prisons. Our recent work demonstrates that bulk dust is likely to serve as a convenient matrix for building-scale monitoring. However, we need to demonstrate feasibility. Here we propose an easy, convenient, and affordable method for long-term building-scale surveillance of COVID-19 based on use of vacuumed dust, which is already being collected in many buildings. The goal of this project is to conduct a feasibility study of viral monitoring of building dust on OSU’s Columbus Campus, in K-12 schools, and in child care facilities with sample over a year when individual testing is still common for comparison. Aim 1 is measurement of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in dust from buildings and comparison with disease frequency. Aim 2 is measurement of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in building dust. Our exploratory Aim 3 is to study distribution of SARS-CoV-2 in dust from buildings. We will rapidly develop and implement a novel technique for monitoring of viral disease. Dust collection provides more specific data and is more convenient at the building scale than wastewater collection, as not all infected individuals shed this respiratory virus in feces. This novel technique will provide a method for monitoring of other viral diseases such as influenza and RSV. We will also develop a new bioinformatics pipeline for resolution of variants in a mixed sample. Results will also provide fundamental information about viral location in buildings and viral distribution in the built environment. Finally, if successful, the team will work to encourage widespread implementation of this monitoring strategy as quickly as possible to help keep schools open in the fall and fight against COVID-19.