Dorfman’s group testing

A recent note by CREST researchers insists on using group testing to compensate for the shortage of test packages and testing personal, as done in several countries, towards deconfining individuals who are not infected. Or who are exhibiting the right antibodies.  Reminding me of my first entry to the notion, in Feller’s book, of the method implemented by Robert Dorfman to test for syphilis prior to enlisting potential WW II soldiers. I would deem the idea useful for surveys, in identifying the proportion of infected or immunised persons, maybe less for giving the green light to leave one’s house as the logistics of merging the tests while keeping track of every individual could prove impossible.