Feasibility of At-Home Virological and Serological Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Viral epidemiology
• Public health surveillance

Background:

• Longitudinal surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is crucial for understanding transmission dynamics in children.
• Current surveillance methods often require increased laboratory test capacity, posing a challenge for widespread implementation.
• Assessing the feasibility of alternative testing strategies is vital for enhancing public health efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the uptake and feasibility of serial at-home testing for SARS-CoV-2 in children aged 2-17 years.
• To determine the sustainability of at-home testing for longitudinal virological and serological surveillance.
• To assess the potential of at-home testing to increase overall testing capacity for pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• A study involving children aged 2-17 years was conducted.
• Participants received mailed kits for serial at-home SARS-CoV-2 antibody and molecular testing.
• Completion rates of the at-home testing kits were analyzed across different age groups.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrated significant uptake of serial at-home testing among children.
• Completion rates indicated the feasibility of this approach across various age brackets.
• Results suggest that at-home testing is a sustainable method for ongoing surveillance.

Conclusions:

• Serial at-home testing is a viable and sustainable strategy for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in children.
• This method can effectively increase testing capacity, aiding in the understanding of pediatric virus transmission.
• At-home testing offers a practical solution for longitudinal monitoring of infectious diseases in pediatric populations.