Opinion: Testing everyone for Covid-19 doesn’t make sense. We need to test smarter, not harder
In response to calls for Covid-19 testing of the entire U.S. population, several large universities, and even some employers, have announced plans for extensive Covid-19 testing of their employees (and students) to support a safe return to work and school. These efforts are based on expert recommendations, some of which call for repeated testing of the entire population (using the PCR test) every 14 days, or even more often. Such initiatives could require millions of tests in the U.S. each and every day.
With each announcement, pressure grows on other organizations — and public health departments — to follow suit, potentially triggering a testing arms race.
