COVID-19: Saving lives and livelihoods using population density driven testing

SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk generally increases with proximity of those shedding the virus to those susceptible to infection. Thus, this risk is a function of both number of people and the area which they occupy. However, the latter continues to evade COVID-19 testing policy. Increased testing in areas with lower population density, has the potential to induce a false sense of security even as cases continue to rise sharply overall.