Using Serologic Testing to Assess the Effectiveness of Outbreak Control Efforts, Serial Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing, and Cohorting of Positive Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Patients in a Skilled Nursing Facility

Abstract

We characterized serology following a nursing home outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) where residents were serially tested by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and positive residents were cohorted. When tested 46-76 days later, 24 of 26 RT-PCR-positive residents were seropositive; none of the 124 RT-PCR-negative residents had confirmed seropositivity, supporting serial SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing and cohorting in nursing homes.