Table 3.

Estimation of the effect of SARS-CoV2 testing strategy on the mortality rate using fixed effect models in the contiguous border department-pairs sample, France, March–May 2020. (n = 237).

	Model
	Baseline	Control for ICU occupancy rate	Control for ICU occupancy rate and rate of positive tests
Test rate [CI 95%]	− 0.001507 [− 0.000177; − 0.002837]	− 0.001415 [− 0.000150; − 0.002680]	− 0.001483 [− 0.000441; − 0.002526]

The models analyzed 45 periods, with 12 regions, 69 departments, and 237 department-pairs. Results are calculated in percentage points with 95% confidence intervals (CI 95%). When controlled for ICU occupancy and rate of positive tests, the model using contiguous border department-pairs sample shows an increase of 1 percentage point in the tests/hospitalizations ratio leads to a statistically significant decrease in the case mortality rate of 0.0015 percentage point.

CI confidence interval, ICU intensive care unit.