Table 2 Costs (in 2021 Canadian dollars) and effects associated with disease outcomes and testing programs used in cost-effectiveness analysis. Calculation for long-COVID and productivity loss associated with premature deaths are detailed in Additional file 2
From: Economic evaluation of COVID-19 rapid antigen screening programs in the workplace
Input parameter | Description | Cost estimate (CAD$) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Testing (direct) | |||
 RA testing | Procurement and shipping of RA testing | 8.00 | Health Canada communication |
 RT-PCR testing | Testing includes human resource and laboratory capacity requirements | 60.67 | [59] |
Health care costs | |||
 Emergency room | Per positive case | 22.00 | [60] |
 Outpatient | Per symptomatic case | 6.45 | |
 Non-ICU hospitalization | Average per patient | 12,587.76 | [63] |
 ICU hospitalization | Average per patient | 52,756.06 | [63] |
 Chronic COVID-19 symptoms per hospitalized casea,b | Net present cost of chronic COVID-19 symptoms | 20,870.714 | |
Productivity loss by age group (indirect) | |||
 RA testing | To perform an RA test and obtain results | 0.00 |  |
 RT-PCR test with a 0.5-h testing time | One-day isolation to receive results of confirmatory test | Under 15 yrs: 0.00 15–24 yrs: 56.98 25–34 yrs: 187.12 35–44 yrs: 245.27 45–54 yrs: 251.24 55–64 yrs: 87.86 65+ yrs: 66.82 | |
 Isolation of positive cases | 5-day isolation as recommended by public health in Canada | Under 15 yrs: 0.00 15–24 yrs: 267.09 25–34 yrs: 877.14 35–44 yrs: 1,149.72 45–54 yrs: 1,177.68 55–64 yrs: 411.84 65+ yrs: 313.23 | |
 Hospitalization | Loss of work productivity during hospitalization and recovery from illness | Under 15 yrs: 0.00 15–24 yrs: 2,093.96 25–34 yrs: 6,876.80 35–44 yrs: 9,013.81 45–54 yrs: 9,232.99 55–64 yrs: 3,228.82 65+ yrs: 2,455.72 | |
 Death due to COVID-19b | Net present loss of work productivity from premature mortality | Under 15 yrs: 2,317,833.40 15–24 yrs: 2,092,194.38 25–34 yrs: 1,870,791.62 35–44 yrs: 1,613,844.69 45–54 yrs: 1,315,647.28 55–64 yrs: 969,577.01 65+ yrs: 776,233.85 | |
Measure of effect | |||
 QALY decrement per symptomatic case | Calculated during acute symptomatic infection | 0.009 | [69] |
 QALY decrement per hospitalized casea,b | Calculated during hospitalization and recovery | 0.44 | [70] |
 QALY decrement per deathb | Net present calculated based on life expectancy at the age of death | Under 15 yrs: 39.31 15–24 yrs: 35.48 25–34 yrs: 31.73 35–44 yrs: 27.37 45–54 yrs: 22.31 55–65 yrs: 16.44 65+ yrs: 13.16 | [71] |