Respiratory Outbreak Mitigation With Point-of-Care Testing in Long-Term Care

Does point-of-care respiratory multiplex polymerase chain reaction (POC-RMPCR) testing in nursing homes (NHs) lead to smaller outbreak size or better resident outcomes due to SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus infection?In this cluster randomized trial of 20 NHs, use of an on-site POC-RMPCR instrument did not decrease outbreak number or size. POC-RMPCR enabled increased testing, improved case detection, and shorter time to initiation of antiviral therapy from symptom onset (influenza only).The trial results suggest that seasonal adoption of POC-RMPCR in NHs would avoid an estimated 4 hospital transfers per 100 beds, equivalent to 64 000 across the US each respiratory season.

Corresponding Author: Jerome A. Leis, MD, MSc, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, B103- 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada (jerome.leis@sunnybrook.ca).

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