Yale researchers have been looking at waste for traces of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and say that it could be an even more accurate form of testing.

Jordan Peccia at Yale says his research finds traces of COVID-19 in feces before people have symptoms.

"That can be a much more efficient manner than testing everybody, compiling those tests and looking what goes on," said Peccia.

He says waste is a more exact sample of COVID-19 than testing because of the inaccuracy of some tests and people who don't want to get tested. He adds that home test kit results aren't always reported to the state.

In October, the state's contract with Yale ran out and was not renewed. Now the state believes testing is the No. 1 way to get results.

"I don't think we need more data right now to know that community transmission is pervasive in Connecticut. I don't know that it would tell us anything we don't already know, or that we want to do differently as a result," said Josh Geballe, Connecticut chief operating officer.

Yale researchers say they have been able to continue their project thanks to a private donor, but they are now just testing New Haven.

Yale researchers say they are not finding as much COVID-19 in wastewater with the variants compared to what they saw at the beginning of the pandemic.