UPDATE, THURSDAY: Public Health in California Today cconfirmed cases to date of 683,529, to 4,430 over Wednesday, with 12,550 dead, up to 143 over yesterday. Both numbers are a slight decline from Wednesday.
EARLIER: California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced what he called “a new partnership” in coronavirus testing. He said he took the action in anticipation of the stress the flu season will have on the test system.
“We have an average of roughly 100,000 tests in the state,” Newsom said. Average lead time for results is “anywhere from 5 to 7 days after the test.” Newsom acknowledged that
Developing a partnership with PerkinElmer to “expand a new laboratory in California with a complete supply chain.” Newsom said the deal will provide much more reliability for ad stability.
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The idea is “to bring down costs for everyone … to get tests back on time,” the governor said.
“California is using its market power to meet global supply chain challenges and protect Californians in the fight against COVID-19. Supply chains across the country have been delayed as demand for COVID-19 tests has increased and flu season will see it problem only increase, ”Newsom said.
“This is exactly what the federal government needs to do,” the governor said to “reduce costs across the spectrum,” from Medicaid to MediCare to private insurance and labs.
Currently, coronavirus tests cost $ 150- $ 250. The state has performed 10.8 million of them. “You can do the math,” he said.
Will deliver an additional 150,000 tests daily. “This is additive,” he said, respecting the current daily total.
“We require tests back in 24 hours, at most 48 hours.”
That speed will help the state make decisions about the possibilities of reopening schools and reopening businesses. State Senator Richard Pan, chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said testing was needed to detect effective contacts and prevent further outbreaks.
New tests will range from $ 47.99 to $ 30.78, depending on the volume of tests. That’s at least 1/3 of the current low of $ 150.
Newsom said the state had kicked “the proverbial bond” in terms of other providers, but landed on PerkinElmer because they could make guarantees about production.
The governor later said in a statement that, “The goal is to set up a laboratory facility and begin processing tens of thousands of additional tests by November 1 and run at its full capacity by no later than March 1, 2021.”
In earlier flu pandemics – 1918, for example – November and December were the deadliest months.
While the rise in testing is essential in terms of responding to the pandemic in a state of $ 40 million, it remains to be seen how much of the increased testing capacity will actually be used by Californians. When we look at recent lab problems, caused by field fires, the average of 14 days of daily total testing came on July 25, and has fallen somewhat since then.
Nationally, test numbers have dropped sharply in recent weeks.
The Centers for Disease Control issued new guidance Wednesday morning, saying that people who do not show symptoms of the virus should not be tested, even if they have been in close contact with an infected person. The guidance was a sharp departure from previous guidance, suggesting that anyone who was potentially exposed was tested.
Adm. Brett Giroir, the nation’s virus testing coordinator, denied media reports that the change was made in response to pressure from the White House. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that the only reason the country has suffered such a large number of viruses – which has been used by political opponents to criticize its treatment of the pandemic – is the large amount of testing. He has suggested that restricting testing would result in lower numbers.
Giroir told reporters that the CDC change was “based on the best evidence to give people guidance on who should be tested,” and said the goal is not to reduce testing, but to do more “appropriate” testing.
Newsom said flatly at his press conference, “I do not agree with the new CDC guidance. Complete stop.”
On Tuesday, the Department of Public Health released a press release and began implementing new guidance for personal child supervision and limited instruction, targeted support services, and facilitating distance learning in small group environments. The guidance is intended to help those programs understand the necessary health and safety practices needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their institutions.
Many of the new centers for learning ‘cohorts’, which are described as “a stable group of no more than 14 children or adolescents and no more than two supervising adults in an environmental supervision involving supervision of adults and children stay together for all activities – eg food, recreation, etc. – and avoid contact with people outside their group in the setting. “The guidance advises groups smaller than 14 if possible.
The governor said his full set of amended guidelines would be announced on Friday.
City News Service contributed to this report.
