Article Category:
Research Article

Consecutive Evaluation of Systematic Community-Based COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Testing in Three Different Populations in Jamaica during the COVID-19 Pandemic

David Walcott Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Chika Ozongwu University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Carl Bruce University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;
University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Alison Nicholson University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Camille-Ann Thoms Rodriguez University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Jerome Patrick Walker University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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John Lindo University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Melanie Dawkins Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Samantha Johnson Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Kristen Collins Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Tresana Pearson Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;
University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Vanessa Bailey-Higgins Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Pallavi Dani FIND, Geneva, Switzerland;

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Shaquielle Dias Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica;

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Anne Hoppe FIND, Geneva, Switzerland;
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0883
Volume/Issue:
Ahead of Print
Open access
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The rise in COVID-19 cases in late 2021 posed a grave threat to the public health system and the economy of Jamaica. A key pillar of controlling COVID-19 includes rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and their contacts. Hence, we evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of weekly deployment of antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) by conducting three 6-week studies within high-risk populations in Jamaica. We enrolled 1) 287 study participants (≥18 years) from low-income communities (Study A), 2) 262 healthcare workers (Study B), and 3) 88 students (14–17 years) (Study C). Conducting these independent studies was challenging. Willingness to participate was generally low with fear of phlebotomy (42%), discomfort associated with nasal swab (39%), and lack of parental consent (35%) being the most common reasons students gave (Study C) for lack of participation. Furthermore, only 57%, 66%, and 88% of participants concluded their final study visit in studies A to C, respectively. Participants’ commitment and external factors, such as severe weather and outbreaks of violence affected follow-up. Overall, a total of six participants (<1%) tested COVID-19 Ag-RDT positive during all three studies, thus the number of infections detected were too low to draw any conclusions relating to the efficacy of the testing approach. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in most study participants (78–94%), but vaccination rates differed significantly between communities. Understanding these differences in vaccination rates is important because, given the low participation and follow-up rate, mass vaccination may present a more suitable public health intervention than regular testing.

Author Notes

Financial support: This project was supported through FIND through a grant received from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), Canada.

Disclosure: The study was approved by the Mona Campus Research Ethics Committee (approval number ECP 116, 21/22).

Current contact information: David Walcott, Melanie Dawkins, Samantha Johnson, Kristen Collins, Vanessa Bailey-Higgins, and Shaquielle Dias, Novamed, Kingston, Jamaica, E-mails: david@novamedhealth.com, melaniedawkins.cydja@gmail.com, samantha@novamed.inc, kristencollins@gmail.com, nessa_b1890@hotmail.com, and shaqtdias@gmail.com. Chika Ozongwu, Carl Bruce, Alison Nicholson, Camille-Ann Thoms Rodriguez, Jerome Patrick Walker, John Lindo, and Tresana Pearson, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, E-mails: chikaozongwu@gmail.com, carbruce03@gmail.com, mopsy@cheerful.com, camille.thoms-rodrigues@uwimona.edu.jm, jerome.walker@uwimona.edu.jm, john.lindo@uwimona.edu.jm, and tresanapearson@gmail.com. Pallavi Dani, FIND, Geneva, Switzerland, E-mail: pallavi.dani@finddx.org. Anne Hoppe, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, E-mail: ahoppe@pedaids.org.

Address correspondence to David Walcott, Novamed, 16 Chelsea Ave., Kingston, Jamaica. E-mail: david@novamedhealth.com
Copyright:
© The author(s) 2024
Received:
12 Dec 2023
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Accepted:
17 Aug 2024
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Published Online:
10 Dec 2024
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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