SARS CoV 2 Mass Testing Endangers Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

Abstract

Mass-testing for SARS-CoV-2 with RT-PCR has been widely implemented at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in the U.S. and Canada. If prevalence is low, as is often the case in mass testing, and if false positive rates are similar to rates in similar RT-PCR tests, a large proportion of the positive results will be false. We here report numerous records of false positives at such facilities. Residents that test positive are routinely sequestered with other residents that tested positive. This exposes uninfected, false-positive-tested individuals to infected individuals, thereby increasing the risk that they will become infected with COVID-19. Testing meant to protect the frail and elderly may instead be endangering them. Requiring confirmation of positive results with a second test would eliminate most false positives. A few authorities have begun to implement this measure; all should.

Note: Funding: None to declare

Declaration of Interest: None to declare

Keywords: false positive, specificity, PCR, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, nursing home, assisted-living, long-term care

JEL Classification: I18, I10