Test smarter not harder for an agile system

A look at Victoria's COVID-19 testing strategy

Dr Chris Baker, an MCDS Research Fellow, and our CEBRA colleagues Nathan Bloomfield and Prof Andrew Robinson have published an analysis of the current testing strategy in Victoria in UniMelb Pursuit. They argue that the large volume of testing could "actually hamper our ability to control the virus".

Key takeaways are:

• Tests are a key part of our public health strategy in the COVID-19 pandemic
• However, doing too many tests can actually be counterproductive, as, if the system gets overloaded, test results can be delayed
• Delayed tests mean slower responses to outbreaks, and increased spread of the virus.
• We need to shift our mindset and find a testing strategy that minimises disease spread during an outbreak, rather than a mindset where we seek to maximise the number of tests.

We encourage you to read the full analysis.