04-03-2020, 05:49 PM
Testing is still a real problem. Tests are still being rationed because there aren't enough to go around. We don't really know how wide spread the problem is because we can't test. Locally, we aren't getting many test kits because we aren't considered a "hot spot." Of course we aren't because we can't test without test kits. Without test kits, we'll never be a hot spot in order to get the test kits to test. It's Catch-22 all over again. As of today, Georgia Department of Health has only completed 2300 tests. But, there have been 22,000 commercial tests completed.
Commercial tests are those conducted by private labs like LabCorp. LabCorp uses a novel coronavirus test developed by Roche. I've been trying to research the specificity and sensitivity of the tests to determine the percentage of false negatives. And I came across this information . . .
https://www.labpulse.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=mic&pag=dis&ItemID=800956
Roche had commercial tests for Covid-19 in January and they were widely used in China.
https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/landing-pages/roche-covid-19-updates.html
Roche received emergency use approval for their test for use in the US in mid-March.
I can't imagine why the Covid-19 tests widely used and manufactured in China since January aren't supplied to the US? And if they were, would we have to pay a tariff to import them?
Commercial tests are those conducted by private labs like LabCorp. LabCorp uses a novel coronavirus test developed by Roche. I've been trying to research the specificity and sensitivity of the tests to determine the percentage of false negatives. And I came across this information . . .
https://www.labpulse.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=mic&pag=dis&ItemID=800956
Quote:The first commercial kits were introduced in January by Roche in collaboration with partners such as TIB Molbiol Berlin. These products included the Wuhan RdRp assay, which is specific for detecting SARS-CoV-2, and the Wuhan N-gene3 test, which tests for SARS-CoV-2 plus other related types of coronaviruses.
These reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests were developed for use on Roche's LightCycler 480 and MagNA Pure 24 instruments and were widely used in China. In mid-March, Roche received an EUA in the U.S. and began shipping new COVID-19 tests for use on its cobas 6800/8800 systems, which provide about a tenfold higher throughput.
Roche had commercial tests for Covid-19 in January and they were widely used in China.
https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/landing-pages/roche-covid-19-updates.html
Quote:On March 12, 2020, we received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the cobas SARS-CoV-2 Test
Roche received emergency use approval for their test for use in the US in mid-March.
Quote:We’re also closely monitoring how COVID-19 affects our overall product supply. Roche’s manufacturing network has a global footprint with plants located in China, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa and the United States. Our manufacturing site in China opened very recently and does not produce for the U.S. market, so its operations have no impact on supply in this country
I can't imagine why the Covid-19 tests widely used and manufactured in China since January aren't supplied to the US? And if they were, would we have to pay a tariff to import them?