COVID-19 symptoms at time of testing and association with positivity among outpatients tested for SARS-CoV-2

Symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection remain incompletely understood, especially among ambulatory, non-hospitalized individuals. With host factors, symptoms predictive of SARS-CoV-2 could be used to guide testing and intervention strategies. Between March 16 and September 3, 2020, we examined the characteristics and symptoms reported by individuals presenting to a large outpatient testing program in the Southeastern US for nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR testing. Using self-reported symptoms, demographic characteristics, and exposure and travel histories, we identified the variables associated with testing positive using modified Poisson regression. Among 20,177 tested individuals, the proportion positive was 9.4% (95% CI, 9.0-9.8) and was higher for men, younger individuals, and racial/ethnic minorities (all P