OHAUS plays a small, but important role in the ongoing, worldwide effort to track, understand and find a cure for Coronavirus Scientists and researchers around the world are hard at work studying the Coronavirus. As they seek to trace it, understand it, and seek treatments and an antidote, they require dependable laboratory equipment and precision weighing instruments. This is where OHAUS plays an important role.
The challenges created by the pandemic are numerous and far-reaching, but we remain committed to the laboratories who rely on us. We are steadfast in our focus on reliably precise products, efficient distribution, quality customer service, and, of course, safety – of our employees and customers. We’ve also been listening closely to our customers and suppliers and have been hard at work exploring product enhancements to further help support the fight against Covid-19.
Tracking COVID-19 Through Waste Water
In many parts of the world, research is underway to detect the coronavirus from municipal wastewater. Scientists in Europe and Australia have made a number of interesting findings by studying communal wastewater samples, and the U.S., Canada, and other countries plan to follow suit in the coming months.
The concept of testing wastewater samples from sewage is not new. It’s been done in the past to track anything from infections to drug abuse. Now they are being studied to determine the existence of COVID-19 in communities and could give advance warning of where a second wave is taking shape. These tests could serve to help communities determine in advance if they may need to take additional social prevention measures.
Specialized teams that include scientists, government officials, and water management administrators are being formed in cities throughout the world to investigate samples from local sewers. Communal wastewater is thought to be a better barometer of disease detection than traditional tests. Individual testing can require a two-week incubation period before the Coronavirus appears. However, with the urine and defecation found in wastewater, the virus can be detected after about three days.
In Hungary, expert teams are conducting a multi-phase survey. In phase one, they are investigating changes in the wastewater of nine Hungarian cities over five months. The researchers take new samples every two weeks in the affected settlements. According to the researchers, analysis of wastewater can be a useful tool for tracking hot spots and signaling the re-emergence of infection.
The center of this project is the city of Nagykanizsa. MOL, one of the largest corporations in Hungary, as well as Pannon University, one of the country's largest colleges, have been supporting the research by providing free use of lab space. OHAUS has helped supply these labs with discounted precision equipment.
Testing is conducted in accordance with strict industry and government standards, as well as World Health Organization recommendations. The primary goal is to display the RNA or DNA actually obtained from the samples. Because the useful samples are infected, laboratory safety measures are of utmost concern. In addition to scientists wearing full PPE, like gloves, hats, face shields and foot coverings, all equipment must be easy to clean and sanitize. This is a signature feature of all OHAUS scales and lab equipment and it’s our distinct pleasure to play a small, but important part in this ongoing, worldwide effort.
