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Correcting the reproduction number for time-varying tests: A proposal and an application to COVID-19 in France

Author

Listed:
  • Christelle Baunez

    (INT - Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Mickaël Degoulet

    (INT - Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Stéphane Luchini

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Matteo L Pintus

    (AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Patrick A Pintus

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Miriam Teschl

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

We provide a novel way to correct the effective reproduction number for the time-varying amount of tests, using the acceleration index (Baunez et al., 2021) as a simple measure of viral spread dynamics. Not correcting results in the reproduction number being a biased estimate of viral acceleration and we provide a formal decomposition of the resulting bias, involving the useful notions of test and infectivity intensities. When applied to French data for the COVID-19 pandemic (May 13, 2020-October 26, 2022), our decomposition shows that the reproduction number, when considered alone, characteristically underestimates the resurgence of the pandemic, compared to the acceleration index which accounts for the time-varying volume of tests. Because the acceleration index aggregates all relevant information and captures in real time the sizable time variation featured by viral circulation, it is a more parsimonious indicator to track the dynamics of an infectious disease outbreak in real time, compared to the equivalent alternative which would combine the reproduction number with the test and infectivity intensities.

Suggested Citation

  • Christelle Baunez & Mickaël Degoulet & Stéphane Luchini & Matteo L Pintus & Patrick A Pintus & Miriam Teschl, 2023. "Correcting the reproduction number for time-varying tests: A proposal and an application to COVID-19 in France," Post-Print hal-04171870, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04171870
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281943
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://amu.hal.science/hal-04171870
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    as
    1. Christelle Baunez & Mickael Degoulet & Stéphane Luchini & Patrick A Pintus & Miriam Teschl, 2021. "Tracking the dynamics and allocating tests for COVID-19 in real-time: An acceleration index with an application to French age groups and départements," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, June.
    2. C. Baunez & Mickael Degoulet & Stéphane Luchini & Patrick Pintus & Miriam Teschl, 2020. "Sub-National Allocation of COVID-19 Tests: An Efficiency Criterion with an Application to Italian Regions," Post-Print hal-03140005, HAL.
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    1. Christelle Baunez & Mickael Degoulet & Stéphane Luchini & Patrick A Pintus & Miriam Teschl, 2021. "Tracking the dynamics and allocating tests for COVID-19 in real-time: An acceleration index with an application to French age groups and départements," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, June.
    2. Christelle Baunez & Mickael Degoulet & Stéphane Luchini & Matteo L. Pintus, 2020. "The Acceleration Index as a Test-Controlled Reproduction Number: Application to COVID-19 in France," AMSE Working Papers 2045, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Virus testing; Pandemics; COVID 19; Public and occupational health; France; Acceleration; Diagnostic medicine; Public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management

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