What to know
The University of Nebraska Medical Center generated genomic data that was integrated with clinical data to support public health efforts to combat the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Findings on SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and investigations
The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services built and strengthened sustainable partnerships focused on improving public health in Nebraska. This provided actionable information through genomic characterization and molecular epidemiological support for Nebraska's COVID-19 response. Additionally, the project enabled exploration of social determinants of health and infection risk and developed a distributed test-based surveillance program.
Awarded in 2021, the study provided whole-genome sequencing support and variant tracking. Sequencing efforts focused on samples of reinfection cases, vaccine escape cases, and cases in which severe symptoms are present. Data generated from the study were made public, so clinicians and researchers had access to samples for further testing.