First At-Home Virus Test Granted Emergency Approval From FDA, But Consumers Still Need Doctor’s Order
LabCorp says its nasal swab test will be available first to health care workers and first responders. The kit will cost $119, which consumers will have to pay out of pocket and ask their insurer for reimbursement. “This is not a game-changer, but it’s potentially another piece of the large and rather messy puzzle we’re assembling to test enough people to stop Covid-19,” Dr. Sheldon Campbell, of Yale, tells The New York Times. But experts still caution that the tests can be inaccurate. Meanwhile, without a national strategy, testing across the country is still completely uneven.
The New York Times:
F.D.A. Authorizes First In-Home Test For Coronavirus
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said it had granted emergency clearance to the first in-home test for the coronavirus, a nasal swab kit that will be sold by LabCorp. The agency said that LabCorp had submitted data showing the home test is as safe and accurate as a sample collection at a doctor’s office, hospital or other testing site. “With this action, there is now a convenient and reliable option for patient sample collection from the comfort and safety of their home,” Dr. Stephen M. Hahn, the F.D.A. commissioner, said in a statement. (Thomas and Singer, 4/21)
CBS News:
FDA Authorizes First Coronavirus Test For At-Home Use
The test kit costs $119, and potential customers must complete a survey about their eligibility for testing before receiving one. LabCorp spokesman Mike Geller told CBS News that customers must pay up front for the test and "should contact their insurer to determine if their plan would reimburse them for expenses." The test's website says it will not be available in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Rhode Island. Those states are excluded because they have regulations against patients initiating their own lab tests, Geller said. New York and New Jersey are the two states with the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths. (Silverstein, 4/22)
CNN:
Abbott Labs Says Its Rapid Tests Can Produce False Negatives Under Certain Conditions
The maker of a rapid coronavirus test widely used across the United States and distributed by the federal government has warned that its device can produce false negatives if a special solution is used to move or store patients' samples. Abbott Laboratories instructed health care providers last week not to use solutions known as "viral transport media" for samples tested on its ID NOW device, which runs one test at a time and can detect positive coronavirus cases in as little as five minutes and spit out negative results in 13 minutes. (Devine and Griffin, 4/22)
The Washington Post:
Kentucky And Rhode Island Have Different Coronavirus Testing Rates
When it comes to battling the spread of the novel coronavirus, Kentucky and Rhode Island might look similar on paper. They’ve done comparable numbers of diagnostic tests and lost similar numbers of residents to the disease. But there’s one key difference. Kentucky has more than four times Rhode Island’s population, meaning it has tested 0.7 percent of its residents, compared with Rhode Island’s 3.7 percent, the highest per capita testing level in the United States. (Eilperin and Mooney, 4/21)
The Washington Post:
Senate Republicans Want Federal Government To Play Bigger Role In Coronavirus Testing
Congressional Republicans have strongly backed President Trump’s efforts to respond to the deadly coronavirus pandemic and its crippling impact on the economy, even as many of their home state officials have pushed for more to be done. But on the issue of testing, some Senate Republicans are looking for ways to get the federal government to play a bigger role despite Trump’s insistence it is an issue that governors should handle. (Kim and Olorunnipa, 4/21)
The Associated Press:
What Are The 2 Main Types Of Coronavirus Testing?
Testing is critical to controlling the coronavirus and eventually easing the restrictions that have halted daily life for most Americans. But there’s been confusion about what kinds of tests are available and what they actually measure. There are two main types in the United States. One is a diagnostic test to see if you have an active infection with the coronavirus, whether you have symptoms of COVID-19 or not. The other checks to see if you were previously exposed at some point and fought off an infection. (4/21)
NPR:
Here's How Much Coronavirus Testing We Need
When it comes to testing for COVID-19, there are two competing narratives. The Trump administration claims the U.S. has been doing well and has enough testing capacity. "By our best estimates, we have enough testing capacity today for every state in America to go to Phase 1," Vice President Pence said Monday night at a White House press briefing, referring to the administration's guidelines for gradually reopening the nation. (Aubrey, 4/22)
Des Moines Register:
Iowa Launching Coronavirus Testing Program, Drive-Through Test Sites
Iowa will nearly triple its ability to test for coronavirus infections, with the addition of an online screening system and drive-through testing sites, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday. Iowa has hired a group of private companies to set up the new system, including a website, TestIowa.com, which launched Tuesday. The state has agreed to pay up to $26 million in federal money for the effort, according to a contract released Tuesday. Reynolds' spokesman said each test will cost $48.14. (Leys and Coltrain, 4/21)
