With the end of summer and onset of school, scientists in Flagstaff say they’re seeing increased rates of COVID-19.
Scientists at the company TGen have worked with the city’s wastewater division to monitor COVID levels since 2020.
Every Wednesday, they pick up a composite wastewater sample from the city, which have shown the infection rate climb the last three weeks.
Crystal Hepp, associate director of TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division, says the trend matches when other viruses often spread.
"We’ve got end-of-summer travel; people getting ready for school," Hepp says. "It’s just sort of the nature of a lot of different infectious diseases and how we have these late summer surges, and COVID seems to be following with that."
She says past research has shown that levels in city wastewater can also reflect the infection rate throughout the region and in outlying communities.
As a result, Hepp recommends testing for anyone who may be showing symptoms.
