The Testing Playbook for Biological Emergencies provides US decision-makers at the federal, state and local level with a clear and evidence-based guide for making rapid and effective decisions regarding the development, implementation and scale-up of diagnostic testing at every stage in an infectious disease emergency.
Experience during previous outbreaks in the US has shown that early access to testing is vital, and a variety of testing approaches are necessary as an outbreak evolves. This rapidly changing environment has resulted in uncertainty for decision makers, as well as the public. The Testing Playbook is explicitly designed to reduce uncertainty by illustrating the steps to be taken at each stage, while consistently enabling rapid and equitable access to testing.
The Playbook is divided into six sequential phases of a biological emergency and outlines steps for achieving effective outbreak testing as early as possible and throughout a disease emergency. This includes assuring that public health laboratories, as first responders, have access to accurate test kits and necessary reagents immediately to quickly identify new health threats and perform testing, among other recommendations.
The playbook is the work of national public health experts, and led by those at the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health and the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
For more information, read the news release, watch a webinar or visit BetterTestingNow.org.