Optimal diagnostic test allocation strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

ABSTRACT: Timely diagnostic testing for active SARS-CoV-2 viral infections is key to controlling the spread of the virus and preventing severe disease. A central public health challenge is defining test allocation strategies with limited resources. In this paper, we provide a mathematical framework for defining an optimal strategy for allocating viral diagnostic tests. The framework accounts for imperfect test results, selective testing in certain high-risk patient populations, practical constraints in terms of budget and/or total number of available tests, and the purpose of testing. Our method is not only useful for detecting infections, but can also be used for long-time surveillance to detect new outbreaks. In our proposed approach, tests can be allocated across population strata defined by symp

SUBMITTER: Du J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8661762 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature