Pool Sample Testing Used To Test College Students

WAAY 31 is learning more about the testing process used for college students returning to campus across Alabama.

The coming months.

Today we learned more about the testing process used for college students returning to campus across alabama.

Guide-safe -- the program developed by the university of alabama birmingham is utilizing pool sample testing.

Waay31's megan reyna is live outside the testing site at the university of alabama huntsville.

She explains what pool testing is and why schools and doctors say it works in this situation?

Experts tell me pool sample testing allows u-a-b's lab to test at a quicker rate -- while utilizing fewer resources.

Leal says:"with a 1.5 percent incidence rate, if we pool 8 samples together, we pool 100 of them, we're expecting 12 of those pools to be positive, those are 96 individual samples that need to be tested, so if we perform 196 tests, we can report on 800 tests with confidence."

The u-a-b lab will run state-wide tests in groups of 8.

If it comes back positive -- then all 8 of those samples will be tested individually.

Otherwise all 8 are presumed negative.

Leal says:"in terms of accuracy, we've developed a diagnostic test with very high sensitivity so that when we dilute a sample one to 8, which is what were doing, the sensitivity is still comparable to other fda approved diagnostic tests."

Since all the tests across the state are processed in u- a-b's lab -- the department reached out for help.

Leal says:"we've recruited 17 individuals with exceptional talent to help us with this initiative for pooling."

The pool test allows the lab to turn around quicker results -- at a lower cost.

Netto says:"what we don't talk about a lot is the ability to make the costs per tests much lower.

This test is probably 5 to 6 once these four weeks of testing are complete -- guidesafe will continue to offer pool sample testing in case of an outbreak on any campuses.

Reporting live in hsv mr waay