Optimizing COVID-19 testing resources use with wearable sensors

The timely identification of infectious pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases is key towards preventing the spread of a viral illness like COVID-19. Early identification has been done through routine testing programs, which are indeed costly and potentially burdensome for individuals who should be tested with high frequency. A supplemental tool is represented by wearable technology, that can passively monitor and identify individuals at high risk, alerting them to take a test. We designed a Markov chain model and simulated a routine testing and a wearable testing strategy to estimate the number of tests required and the average number of days in which an individual is infectious and undetected. According to our model, with 2 test per month available, we have that the number of infectious and undetected days is 4.1 in the case of routine testing, while it decreases by 46% and 27% with a wearable testing strategy in the presence or absence of self-reported symptoms. The proposed parametric model can be used for different viral illnesses by tuning its parameters. It shows that wearable technology informing a testing strategy can significantly reduce the number of infectious days in which an individuals can spread the virus. With the same number of infectious days, by using wearables we can potentially reduce the number of required tests and the cost of the testing strategy.Author summary: The early identification and quarantine of infected individuals are key to limit the diffusion of viral infections like COVID-19, which is responsible for more than 1 million deaths in the United States alone. While routine testing programs have shown to be effective, they are potentially burdensome for individuals who should be tested with high frequency. Wearable technology has been shown to be a supplemental tool for passive early identification of individuals at risk of infection, enabling an earlier alert to test and shortening the time in which they are infectious and undetected. By inviting individuals to take a test only when they have a higher probability of being infected, this strategy can also reduce the number of required tests.