© Sean Zanni / Getty Images
SOUTHAMPTON, NY – JULY 26: Atmosphere during the Roberto Cavalli Beach Magazine Hamptons Event at Private Residence on July 26, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Sean Zanni / Getty Images for Beach Magazine)
Dr. Asma Rashid is going to many exclusive parties in New York these days – but for a different reason. Hosts pay them to conduct rapid coronavirus tests to guests at social events in the Hamptons, where the rich flee to seek refuge from the pandemic.
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The tests have become a common feature before guests can be allowed into parties at the rich coastal communities – and cost up to $ 500 per person, says Rashid, who runs a medical concierge service for members only.
And unlike regular tests, where people wait days or even weeks, customers get their results on the spot. It is a stark contrast to the rest of the country, where delay testing is rampant. Experts say the longer turnaround undermined the usefulness of the tests in identifying the virus and limiting its spread.
Some Hamptons guests sign a permit to release their results once they are out, says Rashid, who is usually within 10 to 30 minutes. The host then determines if they can enter.
“Instead of having hors d’oeuvres at the party, now the theme is let’s do quick tests,” Rashid told CNN’s Anderson Cooper this week.
The tests are not always the same, experts warn
There are two types of coronavirus tests. A viral test shows whether one has a current infection, while an antibody test detects past infections.
Rashid says she administers the fingerprint as the nasal spray in cars at various events, including sleepovers and family reunions.
“I always have a disclaimer that not one test is 100%. Pandemic precautions have yet to be exercised,” she says. “But I agree as a society and as citizens, if we have participated in testing our guests, it is still a good thing versus a taboo.”
The Food and Drug Administration has warned against using some rapid testing, saying it could give inaccurate negative results. For example, several studies have raised questions about a rapid test using the White House, and the FDA has received reports of potential problems with that test.
That test – Abbott’s point-of-care “ID NOW Covid-19” test, produces results in minutes. It is portable enough to use in mobile test sites and rural areas that have easy access to labs.
While studies have cast doubt on their accuracy, Abbott has disputed these reports and pointed to more favorable findings. Last month, the company said it has delivered 4.3 million such tests to all states and the rate of false negative complaints is 0.015%.
It is unclear what specific tests are used in the Hamptons – there are several other tests authorized by the FDA. Rashid says her clients are aware of some of the false positives or negatives of the tests.
“They realize that these tests are not 100%. But do we really have a current test that is in the market that is 100% reassurance for our people here in the United States?” she says.
Test delays underscore efforts elsewhere
Suffolk County, where the Hamptons are located, has reported a total of 44,400 cases of coronavirus and 2,000 deaths since the pandemic began. The province saw particularly a sharp increase after the July 4 holiday.
Some parties have made headlines for defending social distance rules. In July, state authorities said they were investigating a drive-in benefit concert in Southhampton that was in violation of social distance guidelines. The benefit was billed as a socially-distant drive-in concert, headlined by The Chainsmokers.
But instead, it “involved thousands of people nearby, getting out of their cars … and generally not following social distancing counseling,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said at the time.
Head of State Andrew Cuomo said he was “surprised” by videos of the concert that “left uneasy social distancing violations.” He mentioned the reckless threat to public health.
But in the past few weeks, Rashid says most of her rapid tests have been negative.
“Fortunately, we are not seeing many positive results in the Hamptons. There are not many cases,” Rashid said.
While some Hamptons party members can get their results right away, the state has tested delays. Last month, health experts warned that New York City is facing major delays in returning coronavirus test results, which could have the potential to reopen the economy.
And the problem is spreading from outside New York. Some states, labs and departments of public health have warned that turnaround times for diagnostic tests are slow in part due to increasing demand and persistent barriers in the supply chain.
“You do the tests to find out who is carrying the virus and then get them isolated quickly so they don’t spread,” said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health. “We need to do things that are more in place. There are a number of new technologies coming along that look very promising in this space. We need to invest a lot of money.”
Rashid says she is aware that rapid tests are not available to everyone and in some cases she has trouble getting them as well.
“Even for myself, we can pull some strings, but when the manufacturer says we do not have the test for two weeks, we can do nothing about it,” she says. “I think that’s definitely a question at government level about why it’s not mass produced.”
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Dr. Asma Rashid
Video: A top infectious disease researcher warns against complaint: ‘We can not abandon our efforts here. It will get worse, not better. ‘(CNN)
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