The Utility and Limitations of Universal Polymerase Chain Reaction Screening for SARS-CoV-2 During Hospital Admission

Abstract

Objective: Universal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on hospital admission is an effective approach to preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks in medical facilities. However, false-positive test results due to a recent infection are a concern. We investigated the usefulness and limitations of universal PCR screening for SARS-CoV-2 on hospital admission in a real-world setting.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1320 attempted hospital admissions for 775 patients at the