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FAQ - Data and Results

How will I receive results? 

NWSS Participants can view quantitative Covid-19 (qPCR) results for the CDC NWSS Program in several ways:

From Biobot:

  • Participants receive their sample results via a pdf report. These reports are emailed directly to participants (and whoever they wish to add to the distribution list) within one business day of sample receipt.
  • Participants can opt-in to include their sample results on Biobot’s public data visualization at www.biobot.io/data

From the CDC:

  • The CDC publishes wastewater data on an internal dashboard (DCIPHER) which is accessible to state, local, and tribal departments of health. 
  • The CDC publishes a subset of this wastewater data on a public dashboard - the CDC’s Covid Data Tracker (CDT) at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance. Data are available for download; please see instructions at the listed website under “Data Download”

How long will it take for me to receive results? 

Several steps go into producing quantitative Covid-19 (qPCR) results for the CDC NWSS Program. Take a look at the process and average turnaround times below: 

Biobot’s process & turnaround time:

  • Biobot produces results within one business day of receiving a sample from a participating wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Quality issues requiring re-runs or laboratory holidays may increase this turnaround time. 
  • Biobot shares results directly with participating WWTPs via e-mail in the form of a pdf report. Additional contacts (DPHs, Elected Officials, etc.) may be added to this list at a participant’s request.
  • Biobot transfers data to CDC two times per week - usually on Mondays and Thursdays.

CDC’s process & turnaround time:

  • CDC receives results from Biobot and automatically checks for data formatting errors. This takes very little time (15 minutes)
  • The accepted data should then be available on the DCIPHER Dashboard (for participating departments of health) within 30 minutes. 
    • If a location has not submitted its zip code or jurisdiction information yet, then that location’s data will not be immediately available.
    • Tribal nation locations will not be available unless they have opted to share results with neighboring states. 
  • Covid Data Tracker (CDT), which is available to the public, updates every evening at 8 pm. There is a 3-day lag time on COVID Data Tracker to allow for quality control and data processing (i.e. the most recent data on CDT will be from today minus 3 days).
    • Results from Tribal Nations are not included unless the Tribal Nation has opted-in.  
    • Results from locations covering fewer than 3,000 people will not appear unless the municipality has opted-in. 
    • Some wastewater metrics will not appear until a certain number of samples have been received:
      • See FAQ below

How many samples does a given site need to have submitted to show up on CDT?

The metrics and visualizations on the CDC’s public Covid Data Tracker are each calculated in different ways, and therefore have slightly different data requirements before they can be shown on the CDT.

In order for each metric to be visible on CDT, the following criteria must be met:

  • Current virus levels in wastewater by site: at least 10 samples since December 1, 2021; otherwise it will show up as “New site”
  • Percent change in the last 15 days: at least 4 samples in the past 15 days; otherwise it will show up as “No recent data”
  • Percent of wastewater samples with detectable virus: at least 4 samples in the past 15 days; otherwise it will show up as “No recent data”
  • SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater over time (i.e. the trend line in the plot): at least four samples using the most recent major laboratory method

Why can’t I see my results on the website? 

Results can be available on up to three websites:

  • CDC’s Public CDT: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance
    • Locations who haven’t confirmed their metadata, particularly zip code, state, population, or flow rate, will not have their data appear on CDT.
    • Tribal nations will not appear on CDT unless the Tribe opts-in with the CDC.
    • Locations representing fewer than 3,000 people will not appear on CDT unless the municipality opts-in with the CDC.
    • Locations who have recently started sampling may not have sufficient data to report on all wastewater metrics. See above FAQ.
  • CDC’s DCIPHER Dashboard for DPHs
    • Tribal nations will not appear unless the Tribe opts-in with the CDC.
    • Results from samples received less than one week prior may not yet be available on the DCIPHER Dashboard. 
    • All users can access their jurisdictions’ data on DCIPHER, even if they do not appear on the DCIPHER dashboard. 
  • Biobot’s Data Visualization: biobot.io/data
    • Participants need to opt-in to having their data shown on this website.
    • Results from samples received in the prior few days may not yet be available on the Biobot Data Visualization. Data is updated twice weekly (Mondays and Thursdays).

How are sequencing results reported?

Sequencing results are available in three places: 

  • CDC’s DCIPHER Dashboard for DPHs
    • Tribal nations will not appear unless the Tribe opts-in with the CDC.
  • Biobot’s Data Visualization (biobot.io/data) 
    • Participants need to opt-in to have their data shown on this website.
    • Sequencing results are available aggregated at the county level approximately two weeks after the sample is received by Biobot. 
  • National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive (SRA) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra)
    • Detailed instructions on how to access raw sequencing data on NCBI’s SRA are available here: https://support.biobot.io/hc/en-us/articles/7010027469975-Accessing-your-raw-sequence-data-from-National-Center-for-Biotechnology-Information-s-NCBI-Sequence-Read-Archive-SRA-

How do I opt-in to receive results differently?

If you are a current CDC NWSS Program Participant:

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