Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 24, 2020

Simulation of Pool Testing to Identify Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Under Conditions of Limited Test Availability

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  • Using mathematical simulations, Cherif et al. suggest that a pooled testing strategy (testing a pooled sample from several patients) was more efficient than individual testing when prevalence was below 30%. The optimal pool size was inversely related to the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens and the sensitivity of the assay. 

Cherif et al. (June 23, 2020). Simulation of Pool Testing to Identify Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Under Conditions of Limited Test Availability. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13075