Universal Screening of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 with Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing after Rally of Trainee Doctors

J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Nov 2;35(42):e380. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e380.

Abstract

There were two rallies of medical students and trainee doctors, where 9,000 participants gathered. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based universal screening for the participants using pooling at a tertiary care hospital. Around 609 (94%) of 646 participants underwent PCR tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; all of them tested negative. Our data suggested low transmission rates in open air mass gatherings when appropriate personal protective practices were followed.

Keywords: Mass Gathering; Rally; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; Universal Screening.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques*
  • Communicable Disease Control / methods*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Humans
  • Internship and Residency
  • Masks
  • Mass Screening
  • Pandemics
  • Physicians
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction*
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Social Isolation
  • Students, Medical
  • Tertiary Care Centers