SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk from asymptomatic carriers: Results from a mass screening programme in Luxembourg.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To accompany the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown measures, Luxembourg implemented a mass screening (MS) programme. The first phase coincided with an early summer epidemic wave in 2020.

Methods

rRT-PCR-based screening for SARS-CoV-2 was performed by pooling of samples. The infrastructure allowed the testing of the entire resident and cross-border worker populations. The strategy relied on social connectivity within different activity sectors. Invitation frequencies were tactically increased in sectors and regions with higher prevalence. The results were analysed alongside contact tracing data.

Findings

The voluntary programme covered 49% of the resident and 22% of the cross-border worker populations. It identified 850 index cases with an additional 249 cases fr

SUBMITTER: Wilmes P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7912359 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature