A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the COVID-19 Asymptomatic Mass Testing Strategy in the North Metropolitan Area of Barcelona

Francesc López Seguí, Oriol Estrada Cuxart, Oriol Mitjà i Villar, Guillem Hernández Guillamet, Núria Prat Gil, Josep Maria Bonet, Mar Isnard Blanchar, Nemesio Moreno Millan, Ignacio Blanco, Marc Vilar Capella, Martí Català Sabaté, Anna Aran Solé, Josep Maria Argimon Pallàs, Bonaventura Clotet and Jordi Ara del Rey
Additional contact information
Francesc López Seguí: Directorate for Innovation and Interdisciplinary Cooperation, North Metropolitan Territorial Authority Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Oriol Estrada Cuxart: Directorate for Innovation and Interdisciplinary Cooperation, North Metropolitan Territorial Authority Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Oriol Mitjà i Villar: Fight AIDS and Infectious Diseases Foundation, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Guillem Hernández Guillamet: Centre de Recerca en Economía de la Salut, Pompeu Fabra University, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
Núria Prat Gil: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Josep Maria Bonet: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Mar Isnard Blanchar: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Nemesio Moreno Millan: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Ignacio Blanco: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Marc Vilar Capella: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Martí Català Sabaté: Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), Fundació Institut d’Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Anna Aran Solé: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Josep Maria Argimon Pallàs: Public Health Secretary, Ministry of Health of Catalonia, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Bonaventura Clotet: IrsiCaixa—Institut de Recerca de La SIDA, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias I Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain
Jordi Ara del Rey: North Metropolitan Primary Care Directorate, Catalan Institute of Health, 08916 Badalona, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: Background: The epidemiological situation generated by COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of applying non-pharmacological measures in the management of the epidemic. Mass screening of the asymptomatic general population has been established as a priority strategy by carrying out diagnostic tests to detect possible cases, isolate contacts, cut transmission chains and thus limit the spread of the virus. Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of mass COVID-19 screenings of an asymptomatic population during the first and second wave of the epidemic in Catalonia, Spain. Methodology: Cost-Benefit Analysis based on the estimated total costs of mass screening versus health gains and associated health costs avoided. Results: Excluding the value of monetized health, the Benefit-Cost ratio was estimated at 0.45, a low value that would seem to advise against mass screening policies. However, if monetized health is included, the ratio is close to 1.20, reversing the interpretation. In other words, the monetization of health is the critical element that tips the scales in favour of the desirability of screening. Results show that the interventions with the highest return are those that maximize the percentage of positives detected. Conclusion: Efficient management of resources for the policy of mass screening in asymptomatic populations can generate high social returns. The positivity rate critically determines its desirability. Likewise, precocity in the detection of cases will cut more transmissions in the chain of contagion and increase the economic return of these interventions. Maximizing the value of resources depends on screening strategies being accompanied by contact-tracing and specific in their focus, targeting, for example, high-risk subpopulations with the highest rate of expected positives.

Keywords: test-tracking-quarantine; cost benefit analysis; economic analysis; COVID-19; asymptomatic screening; mass testing; non-pharmacological interventions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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