Write a letter to the editor between 250 and 350 words about covid 19
Answers
Explanation:
On one hand, you hear that testing is becoming much more widely available. On the other hand, you are hearing that people who want testing are not able to get it. Let’s start from the beginning.
The new coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China, after there was noted to be a cluster of unusual pneumonias in late December 2019. The first case in the US was diagnosed on Jan. 21, 2020. Initially in the U.S., testing was only available at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The test is called a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR), which is a very good test. It is the most reliable test to diagnose a viral infection. It is also a technically difficult test to do, and not all laboratories even have the capability. It is also run by hand and is slow to run. This limited the number of tests that could be done.
In early February, state public health labs were able to do the test. Testing was still limited though, and run on a priority level based on knowledge we had at that time. Tests were only run on people who had the highest risk for infection based on travel history and exposure to known contacts. Also of high priority were people with symptoms and underlying diseases that put them at higher risk of severe infection.
There are machines that can run automated PCR tests. But, it took time for companies to develop tests for this virus, and for the FDA to approve them. That happened within the past week. So testing can now be done at commercial labs, too. This has expanded the number of tests that are available. But there are reagents (chemicals) needed to run the test, in addition to the swabs, and the solution the swabs are sent in. The system may not be able to handle the huge demand for all these supplies, and some labs are experiencing shortage of the supplies.
The testing sample is obtained by a healthcare worker inserting a tiny swab into the nostril, far back to the nasopharynx (where the nasal passage meets the throat) of the patient. This often causes a cough or sneeze reflex. Therefore, the health care worker needs to have full protective personal equipment (PPE) on to obtain the specimen. There has been a huge strain already put on the supply chain of PPE. Therefore every test that is unnecessary, is consuming one set of PPE that may well be needed for the person who is caring for a hospitalized patient.
Answer:
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