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The first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was reported from the state of Washington in January 2020, and laboratory testing capacity for SARS-CoV-2 was established early in the pandemic at the University of Washington. Investigators evaluated the temporal trend in SARS-CoV-2 positivity by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the outpatient setting to assess its association with local dynamics, including physical distancing measures. Samples from 17,232 patients who presented to outpatient clinics or emergency departments (EDs) between March 1 and April 16, 2020 were included in the analysis. The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was adjusted for daily testing volume. For patients with multiple testing, only the first positive result was included.
The po…