Assessment of sample pooling for SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing for screening of asymptomatic persons in Tunisia

The aim of this study is to test a pooling approach for the RT-PCR test to detect low viral loads of SARS-CoV-2. We found that a single positive specimen can still be detected in pools of up to 10. Each laboratory should conduct its own evaluation and validation of pooling protocols according to its specific context. •Pooling samples of SARS-COV-2 is a cost-saving method with the ability to detect the virus in specimens with low viral load.•We found that a single positive specimen can still be detected in pools of up to 10.•Additional amplification cycles, or inclusion of a re-test for negative group samples, could reduce false-negative rates.