Mitigating isolation: further comparing the effect of LFD testing for early release from self-isolation for COVID-19 cases

In a recent paper, we described how lateral flow device (LFD) testing might be used to reduce the amount of excess time individuals spend in isolation following confirmation of a COVID-19 infection. Through the work presented here, we look to expand upon this and explore in more detail the benefit that such an approach might provide. We use our previously described model to study scenarios through the metrics “proportion released still infectious”, “excess time spent in isolation” (time isolated while no longer infectious), and “time spent infectious after early release”. We also look to consider the effect on these metrics by comparing values obtained when a single negative LFD test is required for early release, versus requiring two and three sequential negative LFD tests. Results show that jointly employing self-isolation and LFD testing may deliver sizeable reductions to the proportion of individuals being release while still infection, the average amount of excess time spent in isolation by those no longer a public health threat, and the average amount of time spent infectious by those released early. These effects considered in conjunction could provide a considerable decrease in the public health risk posed by still infectious individuals being released back into the population by actively monitoring their infection status throughout their isolation period. Such an approach could also help lighten the impact incurred on the individual by reducing the amount of time spent in isolation while posing no further public health risk, in addition to alleviating pressures on the economy and in healthcare settings caused by mass isolation in times of high prevalence.