Coronavirus Testing in the US

With the fear and mania that has swept the nation due to the recent outbreak of a virus known as COVID-19, it would be surprising if anyone hadn’t heard of the Coronavirus. However, with the mass panic that has been on everyone’s minds since the beginning of February, few people seem to actually know much about the measures being taken to test for and respond to the COVID-19 cases that were discovered. In an article by the CDC, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the testing being done for Corona is summarized. Initial Testing The article, published by the CDC in February, announces the creation of a test that would allow hospitals to identify those infected with the Coronavirus, by analyzing specimens sampled from patients who fit the criteria for testing. The test was expedited by the FDA through an Emergency Use Authorization, which allows the use of the test without approval, in order to get it to as many people in as little time as possible. The EUA was sent out on February 4 by the FDA and the distribution of tests followed closely behind. However, challenges arose when the accuracy of the tests couldn’t be determined due to a problem found in the development of one of the testing agents. The CDC plans to release new tests once the problem is fixed. Problems with the Testing The problems that arose from faulty reagent have caused three-week delays in testing at a critical time in the spread of the virus, according to Robert Baird at the New Yorker. This is because the testing could have notified people of how many cases there were in the US, giving an accurate approximation of just how widespread the virus was, and could have prompted preventative measures earlier on, which could have decreased the number of cases in the US significantly. Despite this delay, however, testing became available in all 50 states as of March 9, according to an article by Business Insider, with some requirements of testing. Only people meeting some prerequisites, such as if they are showing symptoms or have traveled recently, so testing is still very limited. Testing for Those Without Symptoms The CDC has also begun developing a test to determine how many people have come in contact with COVID-19, by testing the antibodies present in their tissues and bloodstream. These antibodies are generated by the body’s immune system in response to foreign bodies and are created regardless of whether or not the person exposed displays symptoms of the virus. This testing can determine if a person is a carrier, even if they are asymptomatic. This is significant because even those without symptoms can infect others if they have come in contact with the virus. This test is currently in the works and will be hugely influential in halting the spread of the Coronavirus. Sources: Baird, Robert P., et al. “What Went Wrong with Coronavirus Testing in the U.S.” The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2020, www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-went-wrong-with-coronavirus-testing-in-the-us. Bendix, Aria. “The US Decided to Make Its Own Coronavirus Test, but the Process Was Plagued by Errors and Delays. Here's a Timeline of What Went Wrong.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 11 Mar. 2020, www.businessinsider.com/us-coronavirus-testing-problems-timeline-2020-3#hahn-said-the-government-plans-to-ship-4-million-additional-tests-by-the-end-of-next-week-18. “CDC Diagnostic Test for COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Apr. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/testing.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Ftesting.html.