pool testing, pooled testing, or batch testing—means combining respiratory samples from several people and conducting one laboratory test on the combined pool of samples to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.Pooling allows laboratories to test more samples with fewer testing materials.
It could be useful in scenarios like returning groups of workers to a workplace.If a pooled test result is negative, then all the samples can be presumed negative with the single test.