Read on Twitter
This "journalist" is asking why Irish government didn't stockpile reagents in January. He thinks it's a gotcha question to highlight Government incompetence, as if all they had to do was bulk-buy paint at the hardware store.
I'll try answer so he doesn't waste his time on you. https://twitter.com/EwanMacKenna/status/1245670625265569792
I'll try answer so he doesn't waste his time on you. https://twitter.com/EwanMacKenna/status/1245670625265569792
By January 9th, the causative agent of the illness in Wuhan still hadn't been identified. January 10th saw the first upload of the Genome sequence of covid19.
German scientists developed the first diagnostic test for the illness on January 16th.
German scientists developed the first diagnostic test for the illness on January 16th.
If you're with me so far, draw a big line through Dec 31st to Jan 16th for "stockpiling" anything. They didn't know what they were dealing with.
It took 3 days more for Chinese Government to get nucleic acid test reagents developed and 3 more days to get them to labs/hospitals.
It took 3 days more for Chinese Government to get nucleic acid test reagents developed and 3 more days to get them to labs/hospitals.
So draw another line through January 16th to 22nd.
On January 24th, Chinese media reported there was a massive shortage of testing reagents.
A few days into widespread testing, there was a massive shortage in testing materials already. https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1177814.shtml
On January 24th, Chinese media reported there was a massive shortage of testing reagents.
A few days into widespread testing, there was a massive shortage in testing materials already. https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1177814.shtml
January 27th, Meridian Bioscience swooped in to the rescue dispatching a huge shipment of their Lyo-Ready 1-Step RT q-PCR reagent to Wuhan/Hubei. Other Chinese companies were in the cavalry helping.
At this point, there was 2,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 56 dead.
At this point, there was 2,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 56 dead.
I'll give you a very quick example of the work involved here.
Liferiver Biotech, a Chinese company, got the genome sequence on January 10th. They immediately scrambled for retired employees to come back to help.
Worked 24 and 36 hour shifts depending on age, around-the-clock.
Liferiver Biotech, a Chinese company, got the genome sequence on January 10th. They immediately scrambled for retired employees to come back to help.
Worked 24 and 36 hour shifts depending on age, around-the-clock.
Put a big fucking line through stockpiling reagents in January.
The first half of the month, they didn't know what was even killing people.
The second half, they worked until exhaustion to develop tests and produce reagents for the tests.
January = write-off.
The first half of the month, they didn't know what was even killing people.
The second half, they worked until exhaustion to develop tests and produce reagents for the tests.
January = write-off.
I'm going to assume based on your tweets, you don't know a reagent from your elbow. You might think they could just use any old reagent or they're not important.
The initial roll-out of tests by the US CDC on Feb 9th was a debacle, due to an issue with the reagents they used.
The initial roll-out of tests by the US CDC on Feb 9th was a debacle, due to an issue with the reagents they used.
Coincidentally, on the same day, February 9th, the NYT ran a story on how China's efforts were still hampered by the shortage of necessary reagents.
You should by now be seeing a pattern. Demand has outstripped supply from day 1.
It's a pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/09/world/asia/china-coronavirus-tests.html
You should by now be seeing a pattern. Demand has outstripped supply from day 1.
It's a pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/09/world/asia/china-coronavirus-tests.html
Here's the part I thought I'd leave until near last, just so this sinks in.
The normal length of time it takes to develop reagents is -
3 - 4 months.
From the beginning, the global scientific community have been working their ass off on this on levels that almost defy belief.
The normal length of time it takes to develop reagents is -
3 - 4 months.
From the beginning, the global scientific community have been working their ass off on this on levels that almost defy belief.
You claim to be a journalist. All of this information - all of it - is publicly available.
But, hey, in modern life it's a hell of a lot easier to spend your time on Twitter bitching "aT tHe gOvERnmEnt" than investing a few hours of research before making a numpty of yourself.
But, hey, in modern life it's a hell of a lot easier to spend your time on Twitter bitching "aT tHe gOvERnmEnt" than investing a few hours of research before making a numpty of yourself.
