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Updated: Aug 27, 2025

Large-Scale SARS-CoV-2 Testing Utilizing Saliva and Transposition Sample Pooling
Published on: June 23, 2022
Simple approximation of sample size for precise estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infection from point-seroprevalence studies
A M Nikiforuk1, I Sekirov2, A N Jassem2
1British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Objective:
This study aimed to model the precision of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence estimates.
Methods:
Sample size and precision estimates were calculated using the normal approximation to the binomial distribution. The relationship between sample size and precision was visualized across a range of assumed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from 2% to 75%.
Results:
The calculation found that 2% precision was attainable by taking moderately sized sample sets when the expected seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection exceeds 2%. In populations with a low incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and an expected seroprevalence of less than 2%, larger samples are required for precise estimates.
Conclusions:
Taking a sample of 177-1000 participants can provide precise prevalence estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. Larger sample sizes are only necessary in low prevalence settings.
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