COVID-19 Testing Strategies for K-12 Schools in California: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

ABSTRACT: Public health officials must provide guidance on operating schools safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from April-December 2021, we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to assess six screening strategies for schools using SARS-CoV-2 antigen and PCR tests and varying screening frequencies for 1000 individuals. We estimated secondary infections averted, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), cost per QALY gained, and unnecessary school days missed per infection averted. We conducted sensitivity analyses for the more transmissible Omicron variant. Weekly antigen testing with PCR follow-up for positives was the most cost-effective option given moderate transmission, adding 0.035 QALYs at a cost of USD 320,000 per QALY gained in the base case (R_eff = 1.1, prevalence = 0.

SUBMITTER: Maya S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9367893 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature