Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Surveillance Failure: COVID Spread Undetected In US For Weeks, New Report Finds
CIDRAP: Amid Spotty Response, COVID Silently Stalked US For Weeks
Two new studies involving evolutionary genomics, computer simulations, and travel records from the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that inadequate travel monitoring, contact tracing, and community surveillance allowed the novel coronavirus to spread unchecked to and throughout North America and Europe in late January or early February. The studies, published late last week in Science, traced the United States' COVID-19 outbreak to a traveler who flew from China to Seattle in late January or early February, seeding the nation's first outbreak, which then went undetected for 3 to 6 weeks. (Van Beusekom, 9/14)
The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Test Maker Examines False-Positive Results In Nursing Homes
Becton Dickinson & Co. is investigating reports from nursing homes that federally provided rapid coronavirus testing equipment from the company is producing false-positive results in some cases. So far, the number of reports is small, nursing-home industry officials said. The American Health Care Association, a trade group representing nursing homes, said it has heard from roughly a dozen facilities that had seen a significant number of false positives and a similar number with just one or two. (Wilde Mathews, 9/14)
Crain's Cleveland Business,: University Hospitals Expands COVID-19 Testing With Mobile Testing Center
University Hospitals has designed a fully mobile, self-contained COVID-19 testing center that is visiting underserved areas across Northeast Ohio, according to a news release. The mobile testing center, which the Cleveland-based health system says is the first in the state, aims to help address gaps in access to testing. Black and Hispanic communities see more COVID-19 cases and deaths and have less access to testing, according to the release, which notes that UH is currently evaluating communities to determine exact locations for mobile testing. The health system will work with community leaders to inform residents about upcoming visits. (Coutre, 9/14)
AP: What Are The Different Types Of Coronavirus Tests?
What are the different types of coronavirus tests?There are three broad categories of coronavirus tests in the U.S. Two diagnose whether you have an active infection, and a third indicates if you previously had the virus.Here’s how they work. (9/15)
In updates on COVID tracing —
AP: Chicago Starts Hiring Hundreds In $56M Contact Tracing Push
Chicago officials announced dozens of community organizations Monday that’ll help with the city’s effort to hire hundreds of contact tracers in the fight against COVID-19. Mayor Lori Lightfoot first announced the $56 million initiative in May, saying the positions would be filled in August. (9/14)
AP: Europe Tests Gateway For Tracing Apps To Work Across Borders
Six European Union countries and the bloc’s executive Commission have begun testing a virtual “gateway” to ensure national coronavirus tracing apps can work across borders. The trial starting Monday will allow national computer systems that run tracing apps in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Latvia to communicate with each other via a central hub. (9/14)
