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Dr Fauci saying US is not where we want to be on #Covid_19 testing. https://bit.ly/3bu2eRP We need tests that are 1) accurate; 2) simple to administer; 3) provide results rapidly at the scene; & 4) easy to carry out in large numbers. We are not even close to this standard.
With the development of a vaccine far off, it is essential that we expand testing to determine whether even asymptomatic individuals are infected. Waiting for a person to exhibit symptoms makes no sense as many individuals with the virus show no symptoms yet still infect others.
The problem is the Trump admin has abdicated its responsibility to produce the testing required. After 3 months only some 4 four million Americans—just over 1% of the population—have been tested. We need to be able to test that many people and quite possibly more every day.
This calls for a de facto federal govt. Runarounds call for workarounds. The foreign policy world has a model: coalitions of the willing--ad hoc groups that come together to deal w a challenge when existing formal orgs are unwilling/unable to provide an adequate response.
Governors should form a coalition of the willing for testing. Companies and other entities would be encouraged to join forces and be invited to bid on a contract. The most promising bids would be selected to develop prototypes. Development could be subsidized.
One or several prototypes would be chosen for full-scale production. Testing kits would be put into the field as soon as they were available & shown to work. Operating expenses might be picked up in part or in whole by those businesses that would directly benefit from screening.
We need the ability to test people so those without the disease can enter spaces confident they will not be infected. Think metal detectors. Those whom the tests show to have the disease would be refused entry and required to self-isolate until they could pass the test.
Those w antibodies would presumably not need to be tested if they could certify their immunity & it can be shown immunity lasts. But our ability to test for antibodies is likewise far from what it needs to be. So there's no getting around the need to test for who has the virus.
Testing is no panacea. And testing w/o contact tracing & self-isolating is not enough. But testing is essential.
One day we will have anti-virals & a vaccine, but for the foreseeable future robust testing is our best hope so the economy can recover. It is up to the governors.
One day we will have anti-virals & a vaccine, but for the foreseeable future robust testing is our best hope so the economy can recover. It is up to the governors.
