WACO COVID SURVEY

The Waco COVID Survey was initiated in mid-2020 to understand the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission among asymptomatic individuals in McLennan County, Texas. Conducted at Waco Family Medicine, the study involved four waves of targeted surveillance to assess health behaviors, health biomarkers, and risk factor for disease. This project is led by a diverse team of researchers:

Michael Muehlenbein, PhD MsPH

Sally Weaver, MD PhD

Erich Baker, MS PhD

Jeffrey Gassen, PhD

Tomasz Nowak, PhD

The project has resulted in 8 publications and over 50 presentations, significantly contributing to our knowledge of COVID-19 disease.

OBJECTIVES

The initial Waco COVID Survey investigated the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, focusing on health behaviors and biomarkers among almost 500 residents of McLennan County, Texas, USA. Key objectives included:

Antibody Prevalence in Risk Groups

To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among different risk groups of people with very different health behaviors.

Relationships Among Pathogen Avoidance, COVID-19 Case Counts, and Immune Function

Explore how pathogen avoidance behaviors relate to individual immune responses and community risk for pathogen transmission.

Public Health Recommendations

Provide recommendations for local public health strategies based on survey findings.

METHODOLOGY

The inital study employed targeted surveillance due to the impracticality of large-scale random sampling. Key methodological points included:

SAMPLING

Conducted in four waves involving different risk groups like healthcare workers, essential service employees, individuals from businesses that reopened early, and others.

DATA COLLECTION

Collected data on demographics, public health compliance, government response satisfaction, health history, attitudes towards COVID-19, and changes in health behaviors.

FOLLOW-UPS

Assessed initially and at three subsequent intervals over one year.

RESULTS

The initial study revealed significant insights into the community's response to the pandemic:

RISK PERCEPTION & BEHAVIOR

Decreases in stress and germ aversion were observed, while negative affect increased, likely indicating pandemic fatigue.

HEALTH BEHAVIORS

There were varied changes in physical activity, weight, and sleep quality, with a general trend towards stability after the initial survey.

POLITICAL LENIENCY

Political leanings influenced opinions on mask usage and government response.

VACCINATION IMPACT

High rates of COVID-19 vaccination among participants correlated with positive community health outcomes and reduced perceived risk.

EFFICACY OF PPE & VACCINATION

Mask usage was associated with a lower likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19, and most participants who tested positive were unvaccinated.

PANDEMIC FATIGUE

There was a decline in perceived risk and an increase in pandemic fatigue over time.