Amid growing frustration, CDC loosens criteria for COVID-19 tests

KOMO TV Seattle ^ | March 4th, 2020 | by Joel Moreno

[Mariner]

Rules are changing on who can be tested for coronavirus after a growing number of people demanding to be checked have been turned away.

The Centers for Disease Control issued new guidance Tuesday. Anyone can be tested for COVID-19 with no restrictions, so long as it's requested by their doctor. Vice President Mike Pence said millions of tests could be available by the end of the week.

In addition to the new testing standards, some health care agencies are offering virtual visits where people can talk to a medical professional online. MultiCare Health System i offering these virtual visits for free where patients can contact a nurse practitioner to discuss a variety of illnesses, including coronavirus.

“We decided with everything going on with coronavirus or the COVID-19 situation, that we wanted to do our part for the community,” said Dr. Mark Mariani, the chief medical officer with MultiCare Health System. “So we decided to make it free for a period of time to increase people's access to that service."

[Mariner]

Finally.

Any doctor in America can order a COVID-19 test.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Pence addressed this in his press conference today.

Apparently state governors brought this to his attention and his task force made it happen. Things working as they should.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

That’s the #1 role of management...clear away obstacles.

[FreeReign]

Amid growing frustration, CDC loosens criteria for COVID-19 tests

The title loosely implies that it was the "growing frustration" that made the CDC loosen its criteria.

It's actually the test now being available in a large quantity that allows the CDC to loosen the criteria.

[Mariner]

“It’s actually the test now being available in a large quantity that allows the CDC to loosen the criteria. “

True.

But South Korea has had drive through testing centers for nearly a month.

The CDC totally failed on testing. If every doc in America was able to order a test a month ago, US containment might have been possible.

[null and void]

Reported cases will spike.

That is not a cause for alarm by itself.

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

If a quarantine saves just one child's life, it's worth it.

[LouieFisk]

I wonder when this is going to take effect? I don’t know if this Seattle healthcare worker is still waiting, but she did everything but visit the Wizard and give him the witches broomstick to try to get a test:
https://twitter.com/into_the_brush/status/1234685467682979840

But if they do start testing more people - at least in any amount, the existing test kits might not be enough, tho more are being ordered - but current supplies of them are still low.

[odawg]

Why on earth would the CDC want to curtail testing? Testing opens up a new avenue to more knowledge about the spread of the virus, etc.

[1Old Pro]

Why on earth would the CDC want to curtail testing? Testing opens up a new avenue to more knowledge about the spread of the virus, etc.

I think they were just waiting a few days so the test kit shortfall would catch up and used only the kits for actual potential cases. Now anyone can get tested with a Doctor's orders because the kits are available.

[fuente]

A MONTH OVERDUE!!!!

[RummyChick]

Am watching to see if this shows up at DirectLabs.com and how much it would be.

Quest does their analysis last time I did one there.

[FreeReign]

The CDC totally failed on testing.

I need to see the timeline of that failure.

The CDC claims that they had a working test in record time for their own use.

They claim that when they ordered the test to be manufactured for wider use, that the manufacturer made a mistake. They are claiming that that's where the problem occurred.

There was Senate testimony yesterday about this, which I still haven't had time to watch on YouTube.

Perhaps the timeline and the manufacturer problem was clarified during that testimony, I don't know.

But it's an important thing to know. The Dems will blame the problem on Trump.

[FreeReign]

I think they were just waiting a few days so the test kit shortfall would catch up and used only the kits for actual potential cases.

This.

[Karl Spooner]

Probably so they can spread the virus. Like all other government agencies, the CDC was never vaccinated for TDS either.

[newzjunkey]

Let’s also not forget when the problem was found with quality in one of the three reagents CDC issued new guidance the test was efficacious using only two of the reagents.

[newzjunkey]

The CDC totally failed on testing. If every doc in America was able to order a test a month ago, US containment might have been possible.

That's a ridiculous assumption to make. That would've still miss asymptomatic carriers. The guidance was already out there, stay home if sick, wear a mask if sick, wash your hands.