Post 30: The CDC Responds to My Questions About Waste Water Surveillance (WWS)
Holy Shit! In two years they deployed a system that surveils ~40% of Americans. They can detect (at a community level) relative exposure to pathogens, drugs (prescription and illegal) and toxins.
Below is the response I received from CDC regarding some questions I had about the WWS. Their response is in italics. My questions and comments are in bold.
This little excursion into pathogen surveillance (We the People are the pathogens) by the CDC was a rabbit hole that I was not expecting. The level of planning and development is impressive.
Greetings,
Thank you for your inquiry to CDC-INFO.
Your request for information was forwarded to CDC’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 Response Team. We hope you find their reply helpful.
Good morning,
Thank you for your inquiry. A summary of CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) was recently published that may provide some of the information you are seeking: The National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS): From inception to widespread coverage, 2020–2022, United States - ScienceDirect. Additionally, we have responded to your specific questions below.
How many sites are monitored by CDC/contracting organization in and out of the United States?
CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) currently encompasses more than 1,500 communities (more than 150 million people or ~40% of the total US populations) across all 50 states, some territories, cities, and tribal communities.
The level of intelligence that can be extracted from these systems is substantial. Not even your bowels movements are private. Health records, communications and whatever you flush down the toilet is available to a government agency…without you knowing about it. They are literally up in your business…looking for what?
They are looking for excuses to do something.
At the CDC site (https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/about-data.html#data-method) Mpox and COVID-19 are highlighted as the agents being detected. Are these the only agents being looked for or are there others that the CDC/contracting organization monitor?
NWSS receives and publicly displays data on the presence of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and mpox. NWSS continues to work with state and local health departments, utilities, and laboratories to expand national surveillance for additional pathogens. Some sites are already providing data on other pathogens, but these methods and data are still being validated and these data aren't displayed publicly.
[Author’s note: Please be aware that they do not EVER volunteer information that is not directly asked for in a FOIA. Which pathogens are they trying to detect or monitor?]
What techniques are used in the Mpox and COVID-19 detection programs? Is it PCR, antigen detection, culturing, etc...?
CDC uses PCR testing to quantify mpox and SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater. Testing methods for how CDC quantifies SARS-CoV-2 are described here: Wastewater Surveillance Testing Methods | National Wastewater Surveillance System | CDC. The laboratory methods for mpox wastewater surveillance are described at the bottom of this webpage: U.S. Mpox Wastewater Data | National Wastewater Surveillance System | CDC.
Why are the Mpox and COVID-19 data sets so different? Both use PCR as the reported tests yet the data are displayed differently.
There are far fewer detections of mpox in wastewater, and levels of mpox in wastewater are very low compared to COVID-19. Therefore, metrics used to describe COVID-19 levels in wastewater are not as useful for mpox. Detect/non-detect measures are more useful for mpox data at this time, whereas quantitative measures are more useful for COVID-19 data.
Why is the COVID-19 data not available for download?
As noted on COVID Data Tracker, these data can be downloaded from data.cdc.gov: NWSS Public SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Metric Data and NWSS Public SARS-CoV-2 Concentration in Wastewater Data
[Author’s note: This is a B.S. answer. The data are not readily available and are provided in a table format that you have to copy and paste. The numbers are not the raw values but the transformed values after you run an algorithm on them]
Sincerely,
Kay
CDC-INFO Correspondence Team
Questions to Ponder
Upon reading the article that the CDC kindly provided, I stumbled upon this neat little color coded map of the U.S. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) map.
What is the SVI? Per the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry , the SVI is:
Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. Such stresses include natural or human-caused disasters, or disease outbreaks. Reducing social vulnerability can decrease both human suffering and economic loss.
The CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (CDC/ATSDR SVI) uses 16 U.S. census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters.
The SVI was developed and tracked since 2000. The seminal paper that informs on the development and metrics of SVI is A Social Vulnerability Index for Disaster Management (published in Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management). One of the case examples that they site in this seminal paper is Hurricane Katrina.
Abstract
Social vulnerability refers to the socioeconomic and demographic factors that affect the resilience of communities. Studies have shown that in disaster events the socially vulnerable are more likely to be adversely affected, i.e. they are less likely to recover and more likely to die. Effectively addressing social vulnerability decreases both human suffering and the economic loss related to providing social services and public assistance after a disaster. This paper describes the development of a social vulnerability index (SVI), from 15 census variables at the census tract level, for use in emergency management. It also examines the potential value of the SVI by exploring the impact of Hurricane Katrina on local populations.
Now, the census variables have grown to 16 since the publication of this article - but they encompass 4 major themes, with sub-variables assigned to them. Then there is a geospatial overlay (Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program - GRASP) that can be added to the SVI. By combining all these variables, you can predict (or target - a la ANTIFA/BLM Summer of Love style) regions and communities that have characteristics that make them vulnerable or resistant to different types of “stresses”.
The 2020-2022 (and ongoing) time period has provided the CDC (and other agencies) with a wealth of geo-spatial, economic, social and health data that can be fitted to a real-time and/or predictive model of society. In other words, they know who, where and when will likely be most affected by ANY sort of stress event. This is a nightmare partnership that is fascistic/corporatist at its core.
Oh, and this CDC program (GRASP - what an aptly named program) has partnerships with some of our most trusted and beloved institutions and NGOs:
GRASP also provides geospatial expertise to the Situational Awareness Branch in CDC’s Emergency Operations Center to support multiple domestic and international public health emergency preparedness and response efforts (see the most recent COVID Data Tracker to support the COVID-19 response).
External partnerships include State Health Departments and other federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency; NGOs such as the World Health Organization; foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and private geospatial companies such as Esri.
I kid-you-not. CDC is proud to list these groups and organizations. I’m sure there are others that they would like to list - - but just can’t.
Environmental Justice Index (EJI): When you want to combine ESG and Agenda 2030 metrics into one!
As part of my dive into the NWSS program of the CDC, I ran into another set of metrics that CDC has developed! This one is called the EJI - and for the most part I can’t tell where it is any different from SVI - except that they REALLY want to show the world that they are Woke AF!
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, to develop, implement, and enforce environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to live, learn, and work in a healthy environment.
This looks and sounds like another metric to allow CDC (and partners) to tip the scales on “underserved” communities by applying another metric - heavily sprinkled with Environmental-Social Governance (ESG) language that was developed by Blackrock.
The EJI Social-Environmental Ranking (SER) is calculated by combining rankings from the Environmental Burden Module and the Social Vulnerability Module, but not from the Health Vulnerability Module.
The Social-Environmental Ranking represents a measure of distributive and participatory environmental justice factors that may influence human health and well-being. The Social-Environmental Ranking is more suitable than the full EJI for research and secondary analyses where health outcomes are of interest (see below).
The Social-Environmental Ranking can also be used alongside the High Prevalence Flags (see below) for an overview of how specific health outcomes may be related to distributive and participatory environmental justice. For more information on the Social-Environmental Ranking and how it differs from the overall EJI, please see the EJI Technical Documentation.
This SVI-EJI criteria is nothing more than a social credit score that can be applied during emergencies - procedurally denying deplorables (wrong-thinkers) access to services and acting as a cudgel to “incentives” individuals to think correctly.
The entirety of the document reads like a UN/Social Justice/DEI/Intersectionalist wet dream. The only thing missing in the document was a portrait of Marx and Mao in drag!
The EJI Technical Documentation definition of Health Equity was particularly enlightening. It defines a set of policies that were in full display during the roll-out of the SAR2/COVID-19 scamdemic - those that obey their Public Health Masters will be rewarded:
What is Health Equity?
Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices, overcoming economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare, and eliminating preventable health disparities.
If they can’t roll out the Agenda via the Congress, the Powers-That-Should-Not-Be will get it done through the backdoor via emergency powers (again). SARs-Cov-2, the PHE and the Psy-Op were exercises to shore up the guard-rails and terrorize the populace into compliance. The legal, policy and Good Authoritarians to run the infrastructure are in place. All we need to do is roll-over and be afraid of the next Black Swan event.
But I’m Not Afraid…They Need to Be Afraid
As I have said previously, we are still alive and we are beginning to push back. The roll-out of the jabs and the semi-successful take over of state and local governments by the DEI crazies has shown an ever-growing number of people that the Adults need to step in.
We need to begin to re-educate ourselves on the functions and levers of government (at all levels) and show up. The majority of politicians and public servants only understand two emotions: greed and fear. They need to see us pissed-off and willing to do serious damage to their political careers. This is not a call to violence but a reminder that we have a right and responsibility to assert our power on OUR governance structure.
WE THE PEOPLE have a right to be heard…no matter what these weak men and women think of us. Additionally, we need to take steps in out locality and states to ensure that economic leverage cannot be applied to us. Money (or the right to transact business) and freedom are tightly interlinked. With greater control of our finances WE can make them afraid…because when you can run your own house in good order you become an immovable rock in the storm.
Learn and get informed as to why having greater control of money and transactions is so important:
Stay frosty, folks.
Tell a friend.
Until next time.