Traveler-based SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance Overview

Airport Sample Collection, Laboratory Testing, and Reporting

Airport (Pooled Sample Collection)

1. International flights arrive in the United States at four airports: Atlanta, Newark, NY-JFK, and San Francisco

2. Travelers volunteer to collect a nasal swab at the airport; Swabs are grouped in pools (5–25 swabs/pool) and sent to the program's laboratory network. (Early detection timeline: Day 1)

Laboratory (Sequencing SARS-CoV-2)

3. All samples are tested using PCR and all positives are sequenced. Select samples are sent to CDC for viral characterization. (Early detection timeline: Day 2)

4. Sequencing data are uploaded to GISAID. Pool positivity and variant proportion data are posted to CDC's COVID Data Tracker. (Early detection timeline: Day 8)