COVID-19: Communities doing it for themselves

The COVID-19 epidemic has demonstrated clearly the importance of community action for good health. If no-one can be safe until everyone is safe, it is evident that community mobilisation will fill the gaps where the health service fails to reach under-served populations and is also essential to hold services accountable.

A long-standing collaboration between researchers in the Division of Public Health Medicine in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, and Health committees in the Cape Metro, in partnership with other community groups and health NGOs, has helped communities to take action to address the COVID-19 epidemic. This is an example of engaged research, strengthening the agency of Health Committees as vehicles for community voice.

The Noon Meeting Seminar on 02 September 2021 shared the experiences of the different partners, both in the community and at the University, and draws lessons, both those for the health services and for the University, if socially engaged scholarship is going to contribute to population health, particularly during COVID-19. Below are presentations by speakers.

An overview of qualitative and quantitative testing of wastewater for SARS CoV 2 from inception to date from the SACCESS network partners

Development of a Framework for Wastewater Based COVID 19 Epidemiology Surveillance for Non Sewered Communities

Assessing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and health implications for WWTP workers and water reuse

Wastewater-Based Epidemiological surveillance of COVID-19 in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

A passive sampling approach to trace Covid-19 infection in wastewater networks from student campus residences

National WBE Surveillance Initiative