Very few of Maryland’s coronavirus tests from South Korea have been used so far. Here’s why.

Washington Post ^ | 4/29/20 | Erin Cox & Steve Thompson

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

When Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced the purchase of 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea last week, he called it “an exponential, game-changing step forward” in the state’s effort to get more people tested.

The dramatic story drew notice from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and a dismissive swipe from fellow Republican President Trump.

But more than 10 days after the chartered Korean Air plane landed, Maryland has not allowed access to the tests kits, much to the frustration of local, state and federal leaders seeking to alleviate community testing shortages.

"None of the kits have been deployed, and no one knows when they will be," Harford County Executive Barry Glassman (R) said Tuesday afternoon. "In the environment that's out there, that need is not being met."

In conference calls with local and federal officials over the past two weeks, the Hogan administration said the tests were hung up by regulatory hurdles and shortages of other supplies that have throttled testing capacity nationwide, according to multiple people who participated.

Hogan publicly described a different reality on Wednesday, when he outlined for the first time how he will use the tests. He said he would prioritize universal testing in nursing homes and other hot spots, such as an outbreak at a poultry plant on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The governor said the kits would also bolster testing for health-care workers and first responders. As a fifth priority, he would expand the broad, community-based testing experts say is critical to easing shutdown restrictions.

“As soon as we got the tests, everybody was like, ‘Can we have 100,000 of those tests?’ ” Hogan said of local leaders. “First of all, the state is going to maintain those tests. We’re not just going to send them off to people.”

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

Well, it appears that Maryland's purchase of the 500,000 testing kits from South Korea requires reagents & other necessary pieces, or the kits are useless, sitting idly in storage. All "show" and no "go" for our Gov. Hogan (whom I like, despite the fact that he's a RINO) but he sure loves his additional 15 minutes of fame. The plane full of test kits from South Korea made for good publicity.

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

WMAL Ping List!

As heard on WMAL this morning during the 6AM news break.

Stay Safe!

[Freee-dame]

What does “described a different reality” mean?

[Buckeye McFrog]

I think Hogan may have a point here. Testing materials will never be in unlimited supply. They must be deployed strategically to protect essential workers and vulnerable populations.

Let the “Test Everyone” Fearpers have their way and test kits would soon look like the toilet paper shelf.

[Dana1960]

There’s another problem not mentioned: the labs are laying off staff because there are not enough covid tests to justify the normal staffing levels.

My son is a medical courier and he told me 2 months ago how this was going to shake out. Many of us think that the high cost of an emergency visit to the ER is what funds the hospital, but we have it exactly backwards. It is everything else that hospitals do, that fund the emergency rooms.

Due to “non essential” medical being thwarted, it means these labs are not processing test for diabetes, meningitis, CANCER, heart problems, auto immune issues and all the rest. Hence the layoffs.

It may not matter how many tests you have, if there is no staff in the pipeline to run them.

[billyboy15]

Nothing dumber than attempting to test everybody in the country as some seem to want.

Test positive at 9:00 A.M. today, walk out of the testing location and come in contact with a person or object harboring the virus and bingo, you are infected and the test is wasted.

better to have as many as possible take HCQ+ as a potential prophylaxis. It is very inexpensive and has proved to be effective as far as I am concerned.

[Diogenesis]

hoarding toliet paper - bad

getting medication for family members - bad

DNC officials (and RINO pigs) hoarding
ventilators and absolutely needed tests - good
.... just blame OrangeMan.

[unread]

“First of all, the state is going to maintain those tests. We’re not just going to send them off to people.”

From the horses mouth... Those test kits are for the politital elite and their families... The chances that the average Joe will get any use out of them are slim...

[wastoute]

What kind of tests are they? Antibody to viral antigen tests? Or PCR RNA detection? The Antibody/antigen tests probably have significant False Positives. Test for RNA annealing are much more sensitive and specific. If somebody spent a lot of money not knowing the difference they may never leave the warehouse.

[ronnie raygun]

These tin pot dictator governors need to be shown the door

[WildHighlander57]

See the article:

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3840240/posts?page=1#1

Check out the results:

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3840240/posts?page=6#6

20 out of 65,000 taking hydroxychloroquine for lupus, tested positive for WuhanVirus.

[Flick Lives]

My son is a medical courier and he told me 2 months ago how this was going to shake out. Many of us think that the high cost of an emergency visit to the ER is what funds the hospital, but we have it exactly backwards. It is everything else that hospitals do, that fund the emergency rooms.

Due to “non essential” medical being thwarted, it means these labs are not processing test for diabetes, meningitis, CANCER, heart problems, auto immune issues and all the rest. Hence the layoffs.

—

Important info we’re *never* going to hear on the MSM as Dem Herr Governors virtue signal each other as to how long they can micromanage their states into an economic grave.

[VTenigma]

Exactly right.

[jeffc]

...the Hogan administration said the tests were hung up by regulatory hurdles...

Uh-huh...

[billyboy15]

Amazing results! Why isn’t everyone possible not taking this drug?

BTW, the 65,000 taking the drug for Lupos were not I assume also taking the Zinc and or erythromycin?

[WildHighlander57]

billyboy15 wrote:

“Amazing results! Why isn’t everyone possible not taking this drug?

BTW, the 65,000 taking the drug for Lupos were not I assume also taking the Zinc and or erythromycin?”

Dunno why more folks aren’t being given the “Trump pills”.

Those 65,000 folks could have been getting zinc from what they ate & drank.

[hoosiermama]

And there is another huge group taking the drug for arthritis. Betting the results are the same. AND then there’s the group taking a common digestive medication used by hundreds of thousands daily that too is effective in treating the virus.

Went to closest Lowe’s yesterday. Twenty five miles from home. Few masks. Fewer gloves. Lots of people out and about. Long lines at all drive through. Grocery stores parking lots full.

Talked to clerk at post office, she said the only cases they had in their county were at the two nursing home. So the virus just hopped over the general population and hit those isolated in senior care units. HMMMMM?
Conversation of those standing in line questioned medicines, food supplements or other items brought in from China. Is anyone testing these?

[cyclotic]

I’ve heard that the Korean tests don’t have FDA approval.

I sure hope Lockdown Larry didn’t buy them expecting FDA to just roll over under the weight of his mighty word.

[cyclotic]

I have a friend who does IT works for a lab company. Same story. They let go most of the staff. However, they shifted over to COVID testing, which as he told me was not an easy proposition.

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

Well, that could be a problem!