Coronavirus Disease 2019 Serial Testing Among Hospitalized Patients in a Midwest Tertiary Medical Center, July-September 2020

We implemented serial coronavirus disease 2019 testing for inpatients with a negative test on admission. The conversion rate (negative to positive) on repeat testing was 1%. We identified patients during their incubation period and hospital-onset cases, rapidly isolated them, and potentially reduced exposures. Serial testing and infectiousness determination were resource intensive.

Automated summary

Implementing serial coronavirus testing for inpatients with initially negative results can rapidly isolate patients during their incubation period and reduce exposure, despite the resource-intensive nature of serial testing and infectiousness determination.