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. 2023 Apr;51(2):459-464.
doi: 10.1007/s15010-022-01865-0. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Implementing the Lolli-Method and pooled RT-qPCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in schools: a pilot project

Alina Chloé Kretschmer  1 , Lena Junker  1   2 , Felix Dewald  3   4 , Viktoria Linne  1   5   2 , Lea Hennen  1 , Gibran Horemheb-Rubio  4 , Rolf Kaiser  4 , Gertrud Steger  4 , Alexander Joachim  6 , Jana Schönenkorb  6 , Zülfü Cem Cosgun  6 , Neslihan Mühlhans  4 , Eva Heger  4 , Elena Knops  4 , Charlotte Leisse  1 , Barbora Kessel  7 , Torben Heinsohn  7 , Isti Rodiah  7 , Berit Lange  7   8 , Anne Lena Ritter  9 , Mira Fries  1   10 , Annelene Kossow  10   11 , Johannes Nießen  10 , Jörg Dötsch  6 , Florian Klein  5   3   4 , Jan Rybniker  1   5   3 , Gerd Fätkenheuer  1   5   2 , Isabelle Suárez  12   13
Affiliations

Implementing the Lolli-Method and pooled RT-qPCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in schools: a pilot project

Alina Chloé Kretschmer et al. Infection. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: School closures have been used as part of lockdown strategies to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, adversely affecting children's health and education. To ensure the accessibility of educational institutions without exposing society to the risk of increased transmissions, it is essential to establish SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies that are child-friendly, scalable and implementable in a daily school routine. Self-sampling using non-invasive saliva swabs combined with pooled RT-qPCR testing (Lolli-Method) has been proven to be a sensitive method for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: We conducted a pilot project in Cologne, Germany, designed to determine the feasibility of a large-scale rollout of the Lolli-Method for testing without any additional on-site medical staff in schools. Over a period of three weeks, students from 22 schools were sampled using the Lolli-Method. At the end of the project, teachers were asked to evaluate the overall acceptance of the project.

Results: We analyzed a total of 757 pooled RT-qPCRs obtained from 8,287 individual swabs and detected 7 SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. The Lolli-Method was shown to be a feasible and accepted testing strategy whose application is only slightly disruptive to the daily school routine.

Conclusion: Our observations suggest that the Lolli-Method in combination with pooled RT-qPCR can be implemented for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in daily school routine, applicable on a large scale.

Keywords: COVID-19; Lolli-Method; Pooled testing; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; School.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no competing interests. FD, FK and RK hold EU-wide trademark protection for the terms “Lolli-Test” (018503959) and “Lolli-Methode” (018503958).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Duration of Sample Collection Duration of Sample Collection rated by teachers who filled in the online questionnaire (n = 96)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Disturbance of the Lolli-Method Evaluation of the disturbance of the Lolli-Method during the class by grading (Grade 1 = not disturbing, Grade 5 = very disturbing)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Project Evaluation Evaluation of the pilot project by grading (Grade 1 = not disturbing, Grade 5 = very disturbing)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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