Covid-19 tests: AMA and others ask Alex Azar for new priority directives due to massive delays

08/14/2020 Health


That would be good news for suffering symptoms or those who have been seriously exposed to someone with the coronavirus.

But it can mean longer delays for those seeking test results before returning to work, returning to school, or visiting friends or family.

“Adapted guidelines are critical to managing the ever-increasing demand for COVID19 tests,” because “no additional manufacturing capacity for many test items is likely to be available through the rest of this year,” the AMA and several other medical groups wrote in a letter dated Tuesday to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.

“While the country continues to strive to provide laboratories with a constant supply of reagents, viral transport media, plastics (such as pipe tips), and other items that are essential to deliver both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 tests, we recommend that the administration consider updating test prioritization guidelines to ensure that the limited test resources available are targeted at those with a medically indicated need for testing and those identified through well-defined public health efforts. “

The trustee of the Trump administration has said that results should ideally be delivered within 24 hours after a coronavirus test. The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment from CNN on Wednesday.

Who would get priority tests, and who would not?

The medical groups suggested “those with COVID19 symptoms, those with known exposures to COVID-19, and those in need of prior procedure testing” should have access to rapid tests and test results.

But even though some health officials have encouraged asymptomatic people to test to help reduce asymptomatic spread, the massive demand for testing has made delays for those who already have symptoms or those who were directly exposed to someone with Covid-19.
Trump: "I told my people, please stop testing."

“As significant current shocks in new COVID-19 cases create significant demand for new testing, we also see an increase in the demand for testing of asymptomatic individuals with no medically indicated need to test services,” the letter said.

“This includes tests for employees returning to work, students returning to colleges and universities, and individuals wishing to participate in non-essential travel.”

And without improving available supplies, “we simply do not have the resources to meet the enormous demand for testing by asymptomatic individuals without exposure to COVID-19,” the groups wrote.

“We remain hopeful that the United States can support manufacturing to meet the needs of anyone seeking a COVID-19 test. However, until manufacturing can meet our unusual demand for testing services, it is critical It is important that we prioritize our test resources where they are most needed. “

The American Academy of Pediatrics on Thursday published separate – but virtually identical – recommendations to help health care providers determine when to test for the coronavirus. Children with symptoms, those who have been in close contact with someone with confirmed Covid-19, as well as those who have elective surgery should be tested, the guidance states.

How big delays make some tests ‘borderless’

This coronavirus is notorious for how easily it is spread by people who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. That is, the longer an infected person without symptoms has to wait for test results, the longer this person may unknowingly infect others.
Here is the difference between asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread
“People can be contagious without symptoms. And in fact – a little strange in this case – people tend to be most contagious before they develop symptoms, if they are going to develop symptoms,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta sei.

“They call that the pre-symptomatic period. That people tend to have more virus at that point, apparently in their nose, in their mouth. This is even before they get sick. And they can throw that virus into the environment.”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40% of coronavirus transmissions occur before people feel sick. That is one of the reasons why wearing masks is so important.

In June, after crowds of young adults were seen wearing non-reflective masks, the White House Task Force coordinator asked all millennials to test.

“Thanks to the millennials who have considered our guidance, they have come forward and been tested,” said Drs. Deborah Birx.

Trump's Covid-19 testzar says the government is doing everything in its power to test. That is not what the experts are saying.

“While before we told them to stay home, now we’re telling them they need to be tested. And this is a huge change for us, because it now allows us to find the asymptomatic and mild diseases that we do not. could find earlier. “

But since then, test possibilities have not kept up with the demand.

In late July, the Trump administration’s test taker said although test features have improved, “we will not stop our efforts until testing is exactly where we want it to be with rapid turnaround times.”

“We will never be happy with testing until we get turnaround times within 24 hours,” said adm. Brett Giroir, a doctor. At present, he said, about half of the tests performed had results within about 24 hours.
But in early August, some people waited more than 10 days to receive test results – meaning that asymptomatic carriers could spread Covid-19 to others.

At that point, testing is “borderless useless,” Drs. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.

If faster tests were universally available, he said in late July, “we could drive this epidemic down, and we could bury it and get very low numbers of cases.”

CNN’s Naomi Thomas contributed to this report.

.

Tags

Designed by Tricksfast Solutions
© Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved