Empowering Academic Labs and Scientists to Test for COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The lack of widespread COVID-19 testing and the prevalence of asymptomatic infections have been major factors in the current pandemic. Despite the improvements in clinical testing, as we move toward reopening USA, widespread surveillance testing becomes critical. Academic (nonmedical) labs can help provide such testing;the CDC-approved guidelines for COVID-19 testing require routine equipment and protocols that are commonly used in academic research labs around the country. Faculty at the authors institution were successfully able to test asymptomatic students for COVID-19. By empowering nonmedical academic scientists with preexisting knowledge, expertise with the protocols, and access to the instruments, an additional 1.23.5 million COVID-19 tests could be processed each day at local universities and academic labs.