The County of San Diego is partnering with the University of California San Diego on a pilot program that can provide a roadmap for schools to reopen safely while our community is vaccinated.
The Safer at School Early Alert System, or “Sassy” as it is called by participants, is an evidence-based program to detect SARS-CoV-2 in schools and day care centers. The project began with technology launched as part of UC San Diego’s Return to Learn program, which collects daily wastewater samples that are tested for coronavirus.
In the past four months, Safer at School Early Alert has been tested in 10 schools and two childcare centers in communities most at risk for COVID-19, including San Ysidro, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Southeastern San Diego and Vista.
“We know that the pandemic has widened the education gap – often in our communities most affected by the pandemic,” said Nathan Fletcher, chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. “In my discussions with UCSD researchers and my COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group, it became clear that there were cheaper alternatives to mainstream tests that would allow some of the most affected students to return to school safely. This pilot and funding through the federal CARES law appropriated by the board has allowed us to test new testing options. I hope we can scale this program up. “
Using daily wastewater and surface monitoring, the Safer at School Early Alert tests for the presence of coronavirus particles and is combined with a responsive testing strategy. The goal is to quickly identify children or staff infected with COVID-19 before an outbreak occurs.
The three elements of the pilot use a robot in a sewer drain to collect daily wastewater samples to be tested at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, daily sweeping of floors for virus deposits and a free PCR testing program. Childcare sites also send used diapers to test fecal samples in children who are not yet toilet trained.
A second step includes daily area monitoring. Teachers or staff use a cotton swab to sample a one-square-foot area from the center of the floor in a classroom, where aerosol cans tend to settle. These samples are tested daily at the UC San Diego laboratory.
Testing children and staff at each location is the third part of the detection program. Children and staff who consent voluntarily undergo free PCR COVID-19 testing at their school or daycare center in response to a positive result of wastewater or surface monitoring.
“The safe reopening of schools remains a priority for the County of San Diego,” said Wilma J. Wooten, MD, MPH, the county public health officer. “What UC San Diego has shown with the Safer at School Early Alert pilot program models the types of steps that can help us return to classroom education while continuing to fight the virus.”