@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov A few quick thoughts: In an ideal world, testing everyone at colleges & universities might make sense (depending whether the result lead to meaningful actions that decrease disease and if frequently enough...@DrTomFrieden 1/n
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden 2/n...since one-time screening will miss both incubating and subsequent infections, and if testing capacity is adequate. In the real word, is screening millions of US college students possible currently? Do we rescreen after breaks?
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden 3/n What level of community transmission makes this unlikely to provide significant benefit? Most communities across the US currently don't have enough testing capacity to meet ongoing community disease control needs.
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden 4/n We can't provide ongoing testing at long term care facilities & other congregate settings with vulnerable people, like homeless shelters. Even healthcare facilities aren’t routinely screening all healthcare workers, although some are screening patients admitted to hospitals.
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden I'm not sure we know the impact on campus transmission is as obvious as you imply, given high levels of COVID-19 in the community, esp. without ongoing frequent repeat screening. If this is the standard for colleges and universities, what about K-12 schools? Large businesses?
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden 6/n What are the implications given the current capacity limitations on lab testing related to reagent shortages and overwhelming numbers of persons seeking testing where disease is surging?
@CT_Bergstrom @CDCgov @DrTomFrieden 7/7The article implies CDC has no useful guidance for COVID-19 because they don’t endorse routine testing of asymptomatic persons, but there are detailed materials for prevention at institutions of higher education including testing for symptomatic & exposed persons and more.
