Modelling pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing in a university setting

Gibran Hemani; Amy Thomas; Josephine G Walker; Adam J W Trickey; Emily J Nixon; David Ellis; Rachel Kwiatkowska; Caroline L Relton; Leon Danon; Hannah Christensen; Ellen Brooks Pollock

doi:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16639.1

Modelling pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing in a university setting

Gibran Hemani^*, Amy Thomas, Josephine G Walker, Adam J W Trickey, Emily J Nixon, David Ellis, Rachel Kwiatkowska, Caroline L Relton, Leon Danon, Hannah Christensen, Ellen Brooks Pollock

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important elements in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and there remains a reliance on testing to manage the spread of the disease. In the UK, many universities opened for blended learning for the 2020-2021 academic year, with a mixture of face to face and online teaching.

Methods: In this study we present a simulation framework to evaluate the effectiveness of different mass testing strategies within a university setting, across a range of transmission scenarios.

Results: The sensitivity of 5x pooled RT-qPCR tests appears to be higher than testing using the lateral flow device with relatively little loss compared to single RT-qPCR tests, and is improved by pooling by social cluster. The range of strategies that we evaluated give comparable results for estimating prevalence.

Conclusions: Pooling tests by known social structures, such as student households can substantially improve the cost effectiveness of RT-qPCR tests. We also note that routine recording of quantitative RT-qPCR results would facilitate future modelling studies.

Original language	English
Article number	70
Number of pages	18
Journal	Wellcome Open Research
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16639.1
Publication status	Published - 30 Mar 2021

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Covid19

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@article{f41746d24eec482093264eb932906219,

title = "Modelling pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing in a university setting",

abstract = "Background: Pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important elements in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and there remains a reliance on testing to manage the spread of the disease. In the UK, many universities opened for blended learning for the 2020-2021 academic year, with a mixture of face to face and online teaching. Methods: In this study we present a simulation framework to evaluate the effectiveness of different mass testing strategies within a university setting, across a range of transmission scenarios. Results: The sensitivity of 5x pooled RT-qPCR tests appears to be higher than testing using the lateral flow device with relatively little loss compared to single RT-qPCR tests, and is improved by pooling by social cluster. The range of strategies that we evaluated give comparable results for estimating prevalence. Conclusions: Pooling tests by known social structures, such as student households can substantially improve the cost effectiveness of RT-qPCR tests. We also note that routine recording of quantitative RT-qPCR results would facilitate future modelling studies.",

author = "Gibran Hemani and Amy Thomas and Walker, {Josephine G} and Trickey, {Adam J W} and Nixon, {Emily J} and David Ellis and Rachel Kwiatkowska and Relton, {Caroline L} and Leon Danon and Hannah Christensen and {Brooks Pollock}, Ellen",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

day = "30",

doi = "10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16639.1",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

journal = "Wellcome Open Research",

issn = "2398-502X",

publisher = "F1000Research",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modelling pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing in a university setting

AU - Hemani, Gibran

AU - Thomas, Amy

AU - Walker, Josephine G

AU - Trickey, Adam J W

AU - Nixon, Emily J

AU - Ellis, David

AU - Kwiatkowska, Rachel

AU - Relton, Caroline L

AU - Danon, Leon

AU - Christensen, Hannah

AU - Brooks Pollock, Ellen

PY - 2021/3/30

Y1 - 2021/3/30

N2 - Background: Pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important elements in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and there remains a reliance on testing to manage the spread of the disease. In the UK, many universities opened for blended learning for the 2020-2021 academic year, with a mixture of face to face and online teaching. Methods: In this study we present a simulation framework to evaluate the effectiveness of different mass testing strategies within a university setting, across a range of transmission scenarios. Results: The sensitivity of 5x pooled RT-qPCR tests appears to be higher than testing using the lateral flow device with relatively little loss compared to single RT-qPCR tests, and is improved by pooling by social cluster. The range of strategies that we evaluated give comparable results for estimating prevalence. Conclusions: Pooling tests by known social structures, such as student households can substantially improve the cost effectiveness of RT-qPCR tests. We also note that routine recording of quantitative RT-qPCR results would facilitate future modelling studies.

AB - Background: Pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important elements in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and there remains a reliance on testing to manage the spread of the disease. In the UK, many universities opened for blended learning for the 2020-2021 academic year, with a mixture of face to face and online teaching. Methods: In this study we present a simulation framework to evaluate the effectiveness of different mass testing strategies within a university setting, across a range of transmission scenarios. Results: The sensitivity of 5x pooled RT-qPCR tests appears to be higher than testing using the lateral flow device with relatively little loss compared to single RT-qPCR tests, and is improved by pooling by social cluster. The range of strategies that we evaluated give comparable results for estimating prevalence. Conclusions: Pooling tests by known social structures, such as student households can substantially improve the cost effectiveness of RT-qPCR tests. We also note that routine recording of quantitative RT-qPCR results would facilitate future modelling studies.

U2 - 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16639.1

DO - 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16639.1

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 2398-502X

VL - 6

JO - Wellcome Open Research

JF - Wellcome Open Research

M1 - 70

ER -

Modelling pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing in a university setting

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