Covid 19 and resilience
To study the effects of the pandemic on access to water for all and include sanitation goals in a comprehensive approach to protect health and environment.
At the beginning of February 2021, the idea of a COVID19 Group was launched by Professor Ahmet Saatçi (SUEN), its Chair, and President Loic Fauchon.
The main objective of the group is to create a common space of exchange and, among others, to deepen the study of the role of wastewater as a key early warning solution to better anticipate epidemic trends.
This Task Force submitted two sessions on 22 March during the 9th World Water Forum, namely “Establishment of wastewater epidemiology studies for tracking COVID-19 pandemic, extension of these studies to One -Health approach” and “Enhance global collaboration in the field of WASH in response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Because of its implication with many pandemics’ solutions, there is a growing interest in wastewater epidemiology: implementation of water surveillance was mentioned in a G7 meeting and mutual Town Hall meetings are being organized with the TF and the European Commission’s joint research centre.
The next Town Hall meeting with the EC will be held mid-October.
The TF expressed their desire to participate in the UN 2023 Water Conference. L. Fauchon warmly thanked A. Saatci and the working group for the astonishing work they have put in, helping to improve a long-awaited way to detect Covid-19 in water and highlight the close links between health and water.