Does Universal Testing for COVID-19 Work for Everyone?
Ghinwa Dumyati, Swati Gaur, David A Nace and 1 others
PMID 32958402WHAT IT FOUND
In one nursing home, universal testing found 7 more residents and 15 staff with SARS-CoV-2, but 7 residents who first tested negative later became symptomatic.
Use testing with repeated screening and cohorting, not as a single reassurance.
Key findings
01Facility-wide testing of all 97 residents identified 7 additional residents with SARS-CoV-2, all asymptomatic at testing.
02Testing of 119 of 121 staff members identified 15 positive staff who were placed on home quarantine.
03Seven residents who tested negative on April 2 later developed symptoms and tested positive, so a single negative test did not rule out infection.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This describes one nursing home, so it does not show that universal testing works in every facility. There was no comparison group or randomised design, so the case cannot prove that testing alone changed outcomes. Seven residents who first tested negative later became positive, so a single test can miss infection during the incubation period. The article also gives expert recommendations and checklists, not tested interventions. The facility could test all residents and most staff, which may not be possible where testing, PPE, staffing, or money are limited.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that universal testing alone prevents outbreaks. In this case, 7 residents who first tested negative later developed symptoms and tested positive, so one test does not rule out infection.