Testing
Effective diagnostic testing serves at least four purposes: (i) diagnosis, (ii) surveillance, (iii) outbreak mitigation/control and (iv) screening (e.g., for access to long-term care (LTC) homes, etc.).
- COVID-19 has shown that it is critical to maximize testing capacity and to ensure that resources are optimally allocated across these four objectives. These have been challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Laying out the framework for testing capacity and allocation will build preparedness for emerging infectious diseases and potential pandemics, and may inform testing allocation for endemic infections in Canada.