As academic medical centers begin to consider allowing personnel to return to work, I have a bold idea on how key investments in aggressive testing infrastructure could position an institution to weather the COVID-19 outbreak.

What if a university spent $$$$ increasing covid testing facilities and contact tracing, so that all members of the university community could be tested every 14d. This might allow more workers to resume semi-normal onsite operations and students to attend university in person

Investing in this testing immediately would serve as an international model of excellence. This fall, undergrads in classes, med students on the wards, and grad students in the lab would stand in stark contrast to institutions stuck in the cycle of outbreak-close-reopen-outbreak.

This strategy would improve the actual and economic health of the communities the universities inhabit. This action would motivate other universities to step up and facilitate aggressive testing ultimately helping to combat the epidemic.

The $ for this would be massive, but an investment. Prescreening patients could allow reopening of clinical services, helping patients and recouping clinical $. Getting researchers back in labs could speed the generation of COVID therapeutics, while helping scientists get grants

I would be inspired to work at a university that takes this proactive approach to get back to work as safely as possible.