Desenvolvimento de estratégias para rastreio rápido e eficaz de COVID-19, no retorno às aulas presenciais do IPS

In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the expected return to face-to-face teaching activities without a significant decrease in new cases of infection, it is urgent to define a regular screening strategy for the academic community, to control outbreaks of infection and minimize the sphere of contagion, offering the best possible security conditions and guaranteeing the stability of teaching. With a COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory installed at ESTBarreiro/IPS, the possibility of tracking at the institutional level is facilitated, but it requires the development of a sampling rationalization strategy and optimization of laboratory procedures for pooling samples for significantly decrease costs by individual analysis. In this project we intend to develop a pilot study of active screening, restricted to the universe of ESTBarreiro/IPS that is economically viable and capable of being implemented at the institutional level. Through mathematical modeling, groups of students will be identified and ranked according to the potential risk of contagion in the context of classes. The following will be taken into account: periods of stay in the classroom and occupation of the classroom on the same day, a factor that will predictably affect the amount of viral particles in suspension in the atmosphere. Other risk factors can be considered to improve the model. The cluster hierarchy obtained will be used to promote more efficient sampling timing. The underlying methodology will also allow the quick identification of close contacts of possible positive cases. Mathematical modeling will be accompanied by laboratory optimization of sample pooling, simplification of viral RNA purification and condensation of viral gene detection reactions using the multiplex PCR technique, with a view to reducing costs associated with individual analysis. The team is multidisciplinary, comprising two IPS research centers, and has experience in the various areas of activity, with the IR being involved in coordinating the activities of the institution's own COVID-19 analysis laboratory