The situation in Stockholm, Sweden right now is: “You who have symptoms similar to coronavirus will not be tested in the future. This applies regardless of whether you have been in the areas that were previously exposed to infection or had close contact with someone you know is ill in covid-19.” There are no test kits. Hospitals have run out of face masks. And it’s only just getting started here.
South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
21–30 of 135 posts
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#22Will Korea sell us tests? Will anyone? Has this been discussed anywhere?
The administration turned away from the German designed/WHO standard tests everyone else is using, so I don’t think any international ones are FDA approved. Today’s presser sure gave me the impression that the delay in testing was so they could roll out this nebulous private-public partnership drive through testing and I guess boost CVS’ stock price or something.
Realistically, how would you envision tests on this scale being performed? In theory, it’s a great plan. Pretty much everyone in the US is close to a Walmart/CVS/Target. Drive up, get swabbed, check results online. Fast and minimal human interaction. The implementation remains to be seen but I can’t imagine the alternative of having everyone rush doctor’s offices and hospitals working very well.
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Yup I have been wondering about this too. If my community has 10 beds and 2 docs what is anyone supposed to do if there are 100 positives? Pick the 10 most likely to develop complications due to age or comorbidity and quarantine the rest so that you don’t get 200 more next week. We’re still in the “stop the bleeding” phase of treatment.
Triage usually dictates that the ones most likely to die from the illness, especially if they're old, get lower priority than those that can be treated at a greater success rate, and who are more likely to live longer and healthier as a result. This is the procedure at most hospitals. You give the beds to those who need them, and are most likely to "make good use" of them (= not "waste" them by likely dying anyway; s…
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#24The situation in Stockholm, Sweden right now is: “You who have symptoms similar to coronavirus will not be tested in the future. This applies regardless of whether you have been in the areas that were previously exposed to infection or had close contact with someone you know is ill in covid-19.” There are no test kits. Hospitals have run out of face masks. And it’s only just getting started here.
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are they cashing in somehow? Or do you mean cashing in in the sense that they have a massive, existential financial interest in this going away as quickly as possible?
Details of the arrangement aren’t clear. They’re stock shot up about ten points after the announcement though.
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
The administration turned away from the German designed/WHO standard tests everyone else is using, so I don’t think any international ones are FDA approved. Today’s presser sure gave me the impression that the delay in testing was so they could roll out this nebulous private-public partnership drive through testing and I guess boost CVS’ stock price or something.
I think the Trump administration saw the profit $$$ in test kits while ignoring the larger health and economic risks posed by a delay in testing. Now, it is too late and Trump is too thick-sculled to admit he was wrong.
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#27The situation in Stockholm, Sweden right now is: “You who have symptoms similar to coronavirus will not be tested in the future. This applies regardless of whether you have been in the areas that were previously exposed to infection or had close contact with someone you know is ill in covid-19.” There are no test kits. Hospitals have run out of face masks. And it’s only just getting started here.
If only Trump did not cut back on CDC funding... Thanks Trump!
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#28The situation in Stockholm, Sweden right now is: “You who have symptoms similar to coronavirus will not be tested in the future. This applies regardless of whether you have been in the areas that were previously exposed to infection or had close contact with someone you know is ill in covid-19.” There are no test kits. Hospitals have run out of face masks. And it’s only just getting started here.
If only Trump did not cut back on CDC funding... Thanks Trump!
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#29This is striking: "A nation of 51 million, South Korea has tested about 250,000 people since its outbreak began on Jan. 20, with a daily capacity of 15,000. It has conducted 3,600 tests per million people compared to five per million in the U.S."
The credit here doesn't go to South Korea's government but to a company called Seegene and it's CEO Chun Jong-yoon who directed the company to focus on COVID-19 testing on January 16th. They are the reason South Korea's CDC was able to ramp up 118 labs so quickly. It's making about 10,000 test kits a week and has been at the center of South Korea's testing strategy. The market is better at addressing problems than go…
bureaucracies, including corporate ones (see: innovator's dilemma), are typically not nimble enough to respond to rapidly changing circumstances. it's not a market vs government (false) dichotomy.
Re: South Korea's drive-through testing for coronavirus
#30Will Korea sell us tests? Will anyone? Has this been discussed anywhere?
I've read however that FDA just approved a new test on Roche lab equipment which many labs already have.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/13/scott-gottlieb-us-to-conduct...