Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T18:14:48.090Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 12 - Testing Strategies to Mitigate COVID-19 Disease Spread

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 January 2024

Steven C. Schachter
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical School
Wade E. Bolton
Affiliation:
VentureWell/Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx)
Get access

Summary

The expansion of COVID-19 diagnostic testing across the USA was – and continues to be – essential to slowing and preventing the spread of COVID-19. This chapter summarizes the efforts of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx®) Tech team to (1) provide science-based outputs to assess and guide specific mitigation and testing strategies, (2) demonstrate how COVID-19 prevention and containment efforts can most effectively be combined with the latest testing strategies to minimize the spread of the virus in a semi-contained population, and (3) deliver personal recommendations based on how likely an individual is to get COVID-19 and spread it to other people. Details are provided on a data-driven model to mitigate disease spread that is based on a simple counting exercise known in different disciplines as a control volume approach or queueing theory. The effects of social distancing, mask wearing, vaccination, and contact tracing on disease spread and testing requirements are explored. The US government public policy effect on testing is also discussed.

Type
Chapter
Information
Accelerating Diagnostics in a Time of Crisis
The Response to COVID-19 and a Roadmap for Future Pandemics
, pp. 236 - 249
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

CIMIT, IDSS, and NIH RADx Initiative, When To Test (2020). https://whentotest.org/.Google Scholar
Kadanoff, L. P., More is the same; phase transitions and mean field theories. J Stat Phys, 137, 5–6 (2009), 777797.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yim, W., Cheng, D., Patel, S. H., et al., KN95 and N95 respirators retain filtration efficiency despite a loss of dipole charge during decontamination. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 12, 49 (2020), 5447354480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FDA, Template for developers of antigen tests (2021). www.fda.gov/media/137907/download.Google Scholar
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Determination of public health emergency (2020). https://tinyurl.com/22252z7d.Google Scholar
FDA, Policy for diagnostics testing in laboratories certified to perform high complexity testing under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments prior to Emergency Use Authorization for coronavirus disease-2019 during the public health emergency; immediately in effect guidance for clinical laboratories and Food and Drug Administration staff; availability (2020). https://tinyurl.com/2s3efyse.Google Scholar
FDA, FDA issues temporary COVID-19 policy for receiving facilities and FSVP importers in meeting FSMA supplier verification onsite audit requirements (2020). https://tinyurl.com/mux3vbvr.Google Scholar
US Congress, H.R.748: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act (2020). www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748.Google Scholar
US Department of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and US Department of the Treasury, FAQs About Families First Coronavirus Response Act and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security Act Implementation Part 44 (2021). www.cms.gov/files/document/faqs-part-44.pdf.Google Scholar
Biden, J. R., Jr., National strategy for the COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness (2021). https://tinyurl.com/ypeyuaju.Google Scholar
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Statement on the status of the OSHA COVID-19 vaccination and testing ETS (2022). www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets2.Google Scholar
HHS Press Office, Biden-Harris Administration requires insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests, increasing access to free tests (2022). https://tinyurl.com/47up6zz9.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×