Increasing Virus Test Capacity via Recursive Pool Testing with an Application to SARS-CoV-2 Testing

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Abstract

In the context of adequate reactions to the current Covid-19 pandemic, Seifried, Ciesek et al. [6, 5] have proposed the application of SARS-CoV-2 pool testing in the pursuit of increasing testing capacity. We show how this method can be substantially improved in realistic scenarios, and we point out a possible impact on the ongoing discussion concerning the need of increased testing as a complementary measure to relaxed restrictions.

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  1. SciScore for 10.1101/2020.07.02.20144956: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    NIH rigor criteria are not applicable to paper type.

    Table 2: Resources

    Experimental Models: Organisms/Strains
    SentencesResources
    Afterwards the Frankfurt pool testing method performs the individual tests

    while the recursive method proceeds by performing the pool tests

    and finally the individual tests We see that the recursive method requires up to 3 aliquots, namely 1 aliquot for the samples in (s1, s2, s3, s4, s9, s10, s11, s12), 2 aliquots for the samples in (s7, s8, s13, s14), and 3 aliquots for the samples in (s5, s6, s15, s16). 2.4 Generalized recursive method: So far we have split each pool into 2 subpools.

    s13 , s14)
    suggested: None

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).


    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.


    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.


    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.


    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

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