Optimal Testing and Containment Strategies for Universities in Mexico amid COVID-19

Abstract

This work sets out a testing and containment framework developed for reopening universities in Mexico following the lockdown due to COVID-19. We treat diagnostic testing as a resource allocation problem and develop a testing allocation mechanism and practical web application to assist educational institutions in making the most of limited testing resources. In addition to the technical results and tools, we also provide a reflection on our current experience of running a pilot of our framework within the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), a leading private university in Mexico, as well as on our broader experience bridging research with academic policy in the Mexican context.