In a single-center VA study, we recently found that using a testing-based vs. symptom-based isolation protocol for COVID-19 resulted in an estimated average excess cost of $39,067 (range $0–$111,505) and 8 excess hospital days (0–27 days) per participant. The study was small (n=10), but these preliminary findings stress the importance of establishing clinically significant transmission criteria, rather than relying on highly sensitive molecular assays alone in this and future outbreaks.