Surveillance-to-Diagnostic Testing Program for Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections on a Large, Urban Campus in Fall...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Higher Education Health Management

Background:

• Colleges faced uncertainty about COVID-19 spread upon re-entry.
• Large-scale testing was crucial for guiding campus policies and mitigating transmission risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 testing program for a university campus.
• To assess the effectiveness of pooled saliva surveillance in controlling COVID-19 transmission.

Main Methods:

• A pooled saliva sample surveillance program tested over 112,000 samples from students, staff, and faculty.
• Integrated surveillance with diagnostic testing for symptomatic individuals.
• Intensified testing strategies in response to identified case clusters.

Main Results:

• 1,508 individuals were diagnosed with COVID-19, with 62% identified via surveillance.
• The testing strategy was associated with reduced transmission following initial case increases.
• Asymptomatic test positivity peaked at 4.1% but averaged 0.84% in Fall 2020, indicating effective control.

Conclusions:

• Broad community adoption of the testing program was achieved.
• The program protected vulnerable staff and faculty.
• The initiative facilitated the normalization of educational and research activities on campus.