Syracuse Sun

Syracuse University Public Health Professor David Larsen condensed four years of research into a two-minute presentation during his visit to the White House on August 27. Larsen, Chair of the Department of Public Health in Syracuse’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, was invited to present at the “White House Roundtable on Emerging Technologies for Preventing Health Emergencies.”

Larsen led an interdisciplinary team in coordination with the New York State Department of Health to create a wastewater surveillance system throughout New York State at the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. During his brief presentation, he discussed testing wastewater for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

“It was quite humbling to receive the invitation,” Larsen said. “I always hope that my work can influence public health, and since COVID-19, I’ve been trying to support the improvement of our infectious disease surveillance systems in New York State and this country.”

The New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network now tests for COVID-19 at least one wastewater treatment plant in all 62 counties, covering a population of 15.4 million. The network's dashboard provides recent statistics.

Days before Larsen’s trip, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named the New York State Department of Health Wastewater Surveillance Program as a new Center of Excellence in its National Wastewater Surveillance System. The program was recognized for its performance in early detection and monitoring communicable diseases such as COVID-19, polio, and influenza.

In spring, Larsen received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to continue his research at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Nicole Fehrenbach from the CDC extended the invitation to Larsen due to his work with their National Wastewater Surveillance System. This marked Larsen’s first visit inside the White House complex.

“Walking into the Eisenhower Office Building...was a bit surreal,” he said. “It was the culmination of a lot of hard work since March 2020.”

During his talk, Larsen emphasized that infectious disease surveillance must alert communities when they are at risk and confirm when they are not.

“The Covid-19 pandemic showed how inadequately our systems performed...Wastewater is a great way for both functions,” he noted.

Although specific reactions were private due to roundtable guidelines, Larsen felt encouraged by panelists' responsiveness concerning funding needs for wastewater surveillance.

“Right now, wastewater surveillance...is largely being funded by COVID-19 emergency funds,” he explained. “As those funds expire...future funding will be made available.”

Larsen continues efforts worldwide while focusing on transitioning operations over to state health departments and supporting regional states along with Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands through newly awarded Center of Excellence initiatives.