A researcher samples sewage for COVID-19. A new $15-million cross-border research project is underway to monitor the movement of pathogens in Canada and the U.S. in the event of future pandemics.The Integrated Network for the Surveillance of Pathogens: Increasing Resilience and Capacity in Canada's Pandemic Response brings together 43 researchers from seven universities and public and private agencies.
"Even with who's manufacturing our products, how we get the products we need in greater volume," she said. "And that's not connected to the manufacturers that we support."Wastewater helps scientists track infectious diseasesThe COVID-19 pandemic showed scientists how useful wastewater could be to track infectious diseases, now it’s being used to help identify other outbreaks including monkeypox and polio.
"We need to shore up the ability of the private sector in Canada to meet demands of the health sector in case of another pandemic," he said.