New Coronavirus Test Provides Results in as Few as Five Minutes, According to Manufacturer
On March 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use to Abbott Laboratories for its rapid COVID-19 test designed for doctor’s offices, urgent care centers and smaller hospitals without complex testing labs. According to the Illinois-based company, the test can give positive results in as little as five minutes, and negative results in about 13 minutes. The test runs on Abbott’s ID NOW device, which is about the size of the toaster, and is currently used by many sites to quickly test for flu, strep and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) while patients wait. For COVID-19, health providers would have to order an additional $40 cartridge, about the size of a replacement ink cartridge for printers, specifically developed to pick up genetic signatures of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most insurers have pledged to cover the cost of the test, which is about the same price as the ID NOW test for flu, without additional costs to patients who qualify. So do you think this portable device could play critical role in saving US people lives? https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/5812664/5-minute-coronavirus-test/%3famp=true
Testing doesn’t stop the spread. I find the current narrative of test and more test very interesting. If a person has some type of flu/cold, and he’s tested positive for C19. Nothing prevents this person from going out and spread the virus. I think once we hit some obscenely large number. The public just won’t care anymore. Because it’s just some number no one can wrap their brains around. I understand a 2$ coffee. But a 2T bail out has no meaning to me.
It’s 10-100 times lethal than flu, depending on how you treat it. Earlier detection can get people more time to prepare for the tough time they will go through and may increase their chance of survival.