4 ms·

Funny how many people think "they were too slow with testing" - do any of these commentators have any idea how long it takes to develop a reliable, sensitive an

Funny how many people think "they were too slow with testing" - do any of these commentators have any idea how long it takes to develop a reliable, sensitive and hopefully specific test for a virus that probably didn't exist in its current form until around 3 months ago. Oh, and then also to be able to make a production line capable of producing millions of them while maintaining quality - why not criticize them for not yet developing an effective antiviral treatment and vaccine for the condition too?

llampx 7y ago
The WHO already had the test.
- Jommi 7y ago
  Which test? What kind of distribution did that test have? What kind of distribution capacity did that test have? What kind of false positive rate?
  - tropdrop 7y ago
    Classic "the [solution] that exists isn't good enough, therefore we can't use it at all!" A pandemic is not the time to be picky - if anything, a high false positive rate helps. Would you rather 10 people quarantined, of whom only 2 are sick, or all 10 released into the wild because no test kit (of any sort) was available?
    - fragmede 7y ago
      To be fair, a test with high false-negative rate would be problematic. 10 people released into the wild, who think they don't have it, is worse than 10 people released into the wild who are uncertain about their status. Not saying that's what happened here (perfect is the enemy of the good!), just that it could be worse. It could always be worse.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
    - 6510 7y ago
      Even without a test you could quarantine people who get off flights. We've been doing it for years with pets traveling from specific countries.
    - Jommi 7y ago
      I would rather anyone with symptoms and ability to self quarantine instead of burdening the economy and healthcare system.
solveit 7y ago
The US had tested 23 out of every million people as of 11th March, while South Korea had done 3692/million as of 8th March.
inferiorhuman 7y ago
Funny how many people think "they were too slow with testing" They were. do any of these commentators have any idea how long it takes to develop a reliable, sensitive and hopefully specific test The CDC forbade King County from using their own home grown test. that probably didn't exist in its current form until around 3 months ago. The US CDC also declined to use the WHO test (and presumably the Chinese and Korean ones as well)... even as a temporary measure. why not criticize them for not yet developing an effective antiviral treatment and vaccine for the condition too? Because the tests were widely available, widely distributed, and non-CDC labs have already developed tests. The same is not true with a vaccine. IIRC antivirals are being tested in Seattle. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-testing-delays.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-testing-de... https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-testing-failure-123166 https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-testing...
pcjunkie 7y ago
This is not a complicated test to make or run. Most microbiology grad students could make it and every university lab could run them. Lack of testing does not appear to have been a technology or supply chain problem, possible supply chain probs in future...

llampx 7y ago

The WHO already had the test.

Jommi 7y ago
Which test? What kind of distribution did that test have? What kind of distribution capacity did that test have? What kind of false positive rate?
- tropdrop 7y ago
  Classic "the [solution] that exists isn't good enough, therefore we can't use it at all!" A pandemic is not the time to be picky - if anything, a high false positive rate helps. Would you rather 10 people quarantined, of whom only 2 are sick, or all 10 released into the wild because no test kit (of any sort) was available?
  - fragmede 7y ago
    To be fair, a test with high false-negative rate would be problematic. 10 people released into the wild, who think they don't have it, is worse than 10 people released into the wild who are uncertain about their status. Not saying that's what happened here (perfect is the enemy of the good!), just that it could be worse. It could always be worse.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
  - 6510 7y ago
    Even without a test you could quarantine people who get off flights. We've been doing it for years with pets traveling from specific countries.
  - Jommi 7y ago
    I would rather anyone with symptoms and ability to self quarantine instead of burdening the economy and healthcare system.

solveit 7y ago

The US had tested 23 out of every million people as of 11th March, while South Korea had done 3692/million as of 8th March.

inferiorhuman 7y ago

Funny how many people think "they were too slow with testing" They were. do any of these commentators have any idea how long it takes to develop a reliable, sensitive and hopefully specific test The CDC forbade King County from using their own home grown test. that probably didn't exist in its current form until around 3 months ago. The US CDC also declined to use the WHO test (and presumably the Chinese and Korean ones as well)... even as a temporary measure. why not criticize them for not yet developing an effective antiviral treatment and vaccine for the condition too? Because the tests were widely available, widely distributed, and non-CDC labs have already developed tests. The same is not true with a vaccine. IIRC antivirals are being tested in Seattle. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-testing-delays.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-testing-de... https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-testing-failure-123166 https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-testing...

pcjunkie 7y ago

This is not a complicated test to make or run. Most microbiology grad students could make it and every university lab could run them. Lack of testing does not appear to have been a technology or supply chain problem, possible supply chain probs in future...