DOGE Cryptocurrency Disrupts San Diego Wastewater Testing

San Diego‘s Wastewater Virus Detection Program Faces Abrupt Halt Due to Federal funding Cuts

By Archyde News Journalist | Published: April 7, 2025

A cutting-edge wastewater surveillance program in San Diego County, crucial for tracking COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, is abruptly shutting down due to federal funding clawbacks. The move raises concerns about the region’s ability to monitor and respond to emerging health threats effectively.

Advanced Virus Tracking Comes to a standstill

The San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health program (SEARCH), a collaboration between UC San Diego, Scripps Research Institute, and Rady Children’s Hospital, is ceasing operations after receiving notice from San Diego County that its funding would be discontinued. This decision, effective instantly, is a direct consequence of federal budget cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Epidemiology and laboratory Capacity” program, hitting local public health initiatives across the nation.

Since february 2021, SEARCH has been analyzing wastewater samples from three treatment plants in San Diego County, serving a population of 3.3 million. The program’s sophisticated techniques have provided valuable insights into the prevalence and types of viruses circulating in the community, initially focusing on coronavirus and later expanding to include MPOX.Researchers were also developing methods to detect influenza, hepatitis, measles, and other pathogens using the same genetic analysis.

$400,000 Loss Forces Program Closure

The roughly $400,000 annual funding provided by the county’s public health department was essential for SEARCH’s operation. While other wastewater testing services remain available, San Diego County’s program offered a unique level of detail regarding the specific virus strains circulating locally. The loss of this detailed analysis leaves a significant gap in the region’s public health surveillance capabilities.

Dr. Louise Laurent, a perinatal research director at UC San Diego, and Kristian Andersen, director of infectious disease genomics at Scripps Research, confirmed that the funding pullback necessitates the immediate cessation of SEARCH’s operations.

We’re going to do one more batch, becuase we already purchased the reagents, said Laurent, noting that the lab’s weekly delivery of new samples is now finished.

Dr. Louise laurent, UC San Diego

This abrupt halt disrupts the ongoing monitoring and analysis, potentially hindering the early detection of new outbreaks and the identification of emerging variants. The implications for public health preparedness in the region are significant, especially in light of ongoing concerns about new COVID-19 variants and other infectious diseases.

A Disrupted Transition Plan

The county had planned to integrate wastewater surveillance into its ongoing operations, including equipping its new $93 million public health laboratory in Kearny Mesa, expected to open in May. Researchers anticipated a gradual transfer of knowledge and expertise from the research labs to the county’s personnel.

The plan was that we would finish out this year’s contract at the end of August and then there would be an orderly transition where they were going to come back and learn our process from start to finish, Laurent said.

Dr. Louise Laurent, UC San Diego

The ideal scenario involved parallel processing of wastewater samples by both UCSD and the county lab to ensure consistency and accuracy of results. However, the sudden funding cut has disrupted this transition, raising concerns about the county’s ability to maintain the same level of detailed analysis previously provided by SEARCH.

Part of the issue is that this is disorderly, Laurent said. Finding out, you know, on a given day that your contract ended a week ago and that there is no transition time and that you are just expected to stop, that’s not the most efficient way to do this.

Dr. Louise Laurent, UC San Diego

The county acknowledged the challenges posed by the abrupt funding cut.

In an ideal situation, the county lab would have started its in-house program while UCSD was still running in order to create an equivalence between the county data and UCSD’s, an emailed statement said. The lab can still stand up a fully functional program in-house without this, but it might be harder to compare data.

San Diego County Statement

public health services are reportedly “working on the logistics of transferring historical samples from UCSD to the new county lab.” Tho, the lack of a smooth transition period could impact the quality and comparability of data, potentially hindering long-term trend analysis.

Federal Cuts Blamed for Local Impact

Andersen emphasized that the funding cuts originated at the federal level,impacting local programs despite thier proven value.

We’re not angry with the county as we certainly know that they don’t want to do this, andersen said. Even without any funds we will continue to help as much as we can in terms of getting the county set up.

Kristian Andersen, Scripps Research

But, to be clear, all of this is because of mandates that come right from the federal government, and specifically those cutting all the funding, not the county itself.

Kristian Andersen, scripps Research

The county confirmed that the wastewater testing contract “was paused considering the federal cuts.” Despite the setback, the county remains committed to moving the testing and related investigation procedures to the new lab. They also mentioned the availability of other testing resources, such as Wastewater SCAN and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

SEARCH’s Detailed Analysis: A Critical Loss

While other wastewater surveillance programs exist,SEARCH distinguished itself through its detailed analysis of viral subtypes. This information is crucial for understanding how different variants behave and for informing the development of effective vaccines and treatments.The ability to identify variants that may evade monoclonal antibodies is particularly significant for protecting vulnerable populations who cannot receive vaccines or develop their own immunity.

This is critical to understand because not all variants behave the same, and we need to know which ones are circulating in order to select new variants for future vaccines and, importantly, now which variants could evade the monoclonal antibodies used for treatments and prophylaxis of those who can’t take the vaccine or can’t generate their own immunity, Andersen said.

Kristian Andersen, Scripps Research

The loss of this detailed analysis capability represents a significant setback for public health officials in San Diego County. Without the ability to quickly identify and track specific viral subtypes, the region might potentially be less prepared to respond to emerging health threats effectively. This situation underscores the importance of sustained investment in public health infrastructure and the need for a more coordinated and strategic approach to federal funding allocations.

Originally Published: April 7,2025

Given the article’s focus on the shutdown of San Diego’s wastewater virus detection program, SEARCH, what specific recommendations would Dr.Reed offer policymakers to prevent similar shutdowns of vital public health programs in the future?

Interview: Dr. Evelyn Reed on San Diego’s wastewater Virus Detection Program Shutdown

Published: April 8, 2025

Introduction

archyde News is today, speaking wiht Dr. Evelyn Reed,a virologist and leading researcher in wastewater epidemiology at the University of Southern California. Dr. Reed, thank you for joining us. We’re here to discuss the sudden shutdown of San Diego’s wastewater virus detection program, SEARCH. Can you give us a brief overview of the program’s meaning?

The Value of Wastewater Surveillance

dr. Reed: Thank you for having me. The SEARCH program was incredibly valuable. Wastewater surveillance is a powerful tool. It provides early warning, allowing public health officials to detect and monitor the spread of viruses like COVID-19 and other infectious diseases within a community. It can give us insights into the types of illness and how those illnesses can impact residents. The SEARCH program in San Diego was ahead of the curve as researchers had the capacity to look for several viruses, including Influenza, and other outbreaks can be detected this way, not just the current pandemic responses.

Impact of Federal Funding cuts

Archyde News: The article highlights that the program’s termination is directly connected to federal funding cuts. How does that impact the region’s ability to respond to potential outbreaks?

Dr. Reed: The loss of this program creates a significant gap in public health surveillance. Federal funds for local programs help give an earlier warning.Without the detailed, strain-level analysis provided by SEARCH, San Diego may be less equipped to quickly identify the emergence of new variants. Knowing which strains are circulating is critical for public health. We see the details, because the results could affect decisions about vaccines, treatments, and targeted public health interventions.

Challenges During the Transition

Archyde News: The article mentions a disrupted transition plan. What are the potential consequences of this abrupt transition, and what will this look like?

Dr. Reed: Any abrupt change causes problems. The ideal transition involves a period of overlap between the old and new processes,meaning both approaches could be compared,to ensure the data integrity. Without it, ther’s a risk that the County’s data may not be directly comparable to the previous data generated by SEARCH, which can affect trend analysis and our understanding of the virus at a local level. The quality of data gathered could be hard to compare.

Unique Capabilities of the Program

Archyde News: Could you elaborate on the unique capability of SEARCH and the importance of identifying specific viral subtypes?

Dr. Reed: Certainly. The program’s ability to identify and analyse viral subtypes was a critical asset. Not all variants behave the same way,and knowing which ones are circulating is essential for vaccine development,treatment strategies,and protecting vulnerable populations. For example, how do vaccines work for patients who are not candidates or have a tough time in getting good results? Without this detailed analysis, we are less prepared in the event of new variants that have the potential to evade available treatments.

looking Ahead

Archyde News: What message would you have for the public and policy makers during this time?

Dr. Reed: First of all, its critical to understand that wastewater surveillance is a vital component of public health infrastructure. In many cities, thes programs are vital, but in this case, it shows the need for sustained investments in these types of programs. A coordinated and strategic approach to federal funding is vital,to make sure the programs are well-funded. It would be good to hear comments from the community and what they think would benefit them best.

Conclusion

Archyde News: dr. Reed, thank you so much for sharing your insight. It’s clear that the shutdown of the SEARCH program is a significant concern for the region’s public health preparedness.

Dr.Reed: My pleasure. Thank you for the prospect to discuss this critically important issue

Originally Published: April 8, 2025