chronology of testing development/deployment:
(WHO was shipping test kits, but, designed in China, they had about a 30% accuracy rate - if that)
first CDC Virus tests Feb 4 - low accuracy. High parameters, reagent issues, supply bottleneck, contaminated kits, slow turnaround from Atlanta. Out of 160,000 shipped, about 200 were used in all of Feb.
Feb 8 - hospitals complain about slow turnaround, test accuracy
Feb. 12, Messonnier said “rapid development of a diagnostic and rapid deployment to the states” is “clearly a success.” “Some of the states identified some inconclusive laboratory results.”
Feb. 14, she said: “We can be proud. … We moved quickly.”
Feb. 21, Messonnier acknowledged problems with the testing kits, but described the issues as “normal.”
Feb 27, CDC says they have fixed the test kit problem, except they didn’t
Feb 28 - Feds relax rules for virus screening. One of the reagents tossed and test run with two remaining reagents.
Mar 9 - First CCP virus test announced by Quest Diag - 2 days before WHO declared pandemic
Mar 12 - Mayo Clinic announces test for CCP virus
Mar 27 - Abbott Labs announces point of care rapid test
Apr 13 - Rutgers announces saliva test
partly from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/16/cdc-who-coronavirus-tests/
California’s Newsom announces $125M fund to give coronavirus stimulus checks to immigrants in state illegally
Taxpayers would be kicking in $75 million for the money, while a group of charities has committed to raise another $50 million for a total of $125 million. A group of charities already has donated $5.5 million for the fund, including the Emerson Collective, Blue Shield of California Foundation, the California Endowment, the James Irvine Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and an anonymous donor.
Newsom said the money will not be distributed based on income. “Their personal information will not be required to get those support,” he added.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-newsom-coronavirus-stimulus-checks-illegal-immigrants
line up for Newsom’s slush fund, baby. No personal info needed, no income qualifying, just hold out your hand. wink wink
May be unnecessary but I’m gonna point out that there’s a big difference between tests for infection and tests for antibodies.
The antibody tests test to be outrageously accurate, like 99%, to be useful.
Late reply by me - The CDC testing screw up cost a lot of lives. I have to believe that better information on COVID-19’s early spread here would have “slapped up side o’ the head” some people here (from some FReepers to some Trump advisors) who discounted the social media reports coming out of Wuhan.