TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of repeated mass antigen testing for COVID-19 on the prevalence of the disease
AU - Kahanec, Martin
AU - Lafférs, Lukáš
AU - Schmidpeter, Bernhard
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - In the absence of effective vaccination, mass testing and quarantining of positive cases and their contacts could help to mitigate pandemics and allow economies to stay open. We investigate the effects of repeated mass testing on the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, using data from the first ever nationwide rapid antigen testing implemented in Slovakia in autumn 2020. After the first round of testing, only districts above an ex ante unknown threshold of test positivity were re-tested. Comparing districts above and below the threshold, we provide evidence that repeated mass antigen testing can temporarily reduce the number of new infections. Our results suggest that mass testing coupled with the quarantining of positive cases and their contacts could be an effective tool in mitigating pandemics. For lasting effects, re-testing at regular intervals would likely be necessary.
AB - In the absence of effective vaccination, mass testing and quarantining of positive cases and their contacts could help to mitigate pandemics and allow economies to stay open. We investigate the effects of repeated mass testing on the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, using data from the first ever nationwide rapid antigen testing implemented in Slovakia in autumn 2020. After the first round of testing, only districts above an ex ante unknown threshold of test positivity were re-tested. Comparing districts above and below the threshold, we provide evidence that repeated mass antigen testing can temporarily reduce the number of new infections. Our results suggest that mass testing coupled with the quarantining of positive cases and their contacts could be an effective tool in mitigating pandemics. For lasting effects, re-testing at regular intervals would likely be necessary.
KW - Antigen testing
KW - COVID-19
KW - COVID-19 policies
KW - Mass testing
KW - Non-pharmaceutical interventions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108995195&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00148-021-00856-z
DO - 10.1007/s00148-021-00856-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108995195
SN - 0933-1433
VL - 34
SP - 1105
EP - 1140
JO - Journal of Population Economics
JF - Journal of Population Economics
IS - 4
ER -