A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the COVID-19 Asymptomatic Mass Testing Strategy in the North Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.
Francesc López SeguíOriol Estrada CuxartJordi MitjàGuillem Hernández GuillametNuria Prat GilJosep Maria BonetMar Isnard BlancharNemesio Moreno MillanIgnacio BlancoMarc Vilar CapellaMartí CatalàAnna Aran SoléJosep Maria Argimon PallàsBonaventura ClotetJordi Ara Del ReyPublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2021)
Efficient management of resources for the policy of mass screening in asymptomatic populations can generate high social returns. The positivity rate critically determines its desirability. Likewise, precocity in the detection of cases will cut more transmissions in the chain of contagion and increase the economic return of these interventions. Maximizing the value of resources depends on screening strategies being accompanied by contact-tracing and specific in their focus, targeting, for example, high-risk subpopulations with the highest rate of expected positives.