Wastewater data fills void as province relies less on PCR testing: researchers

Calgary Herald

Scientists say testing what Calgarians flush down the toilet could fill the void left by diminished COVID-19 testing numbers in getting a sense of just how much of the virus is in Calgary.

As the Alberta government moves away from the widespread use of PCR tests — instead telling most people to get their COVID results from at-home rapid antigen tests, reserving PCR tests for at-risk groups — case numbers alone aren’t as accurate a reflection of the virus’s hold on the province as they were a month ago. Researchers testing wastewater say the data they’re collecting provides a fuller picture of how much of the virus is present and spreading within the population.