Optimal Allocation of COVID-19 Test Kits Among Accredited Testing Centers in the Philippines

Christian Alvin H Buhat; Jessa Camille C Duero; Edd Francis O Felix; Jomar Fajardo Rabajante; Jonathan B Mamplata

The model is helpful to policy makers in making a decision on how to distribute available COVID-19 test kits among accredited testing centers. Authorities may apply this to their respective communities, if the public health system and situation follow the same assumptions and goal of the model. In addition, they may also assess the feasibility of the percentage allocation depending on their current situation. The model exhausts all available test kits but the complexity of test kit resource dynamics determines the limitation of our study. Further studies should also incorporate individuals needing multiple tests, effectiveness of testing kits, and transport time for testing kit delivery. In conclusion, a larger amount of test kits (not limited to initial testing, and to symptomatic patients) and more testing centers are ideal to increase the number of individuals tested to aid in "flattening" the epidemic curve.