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Why is testing breaking down again? Of course where cases are rising, demand is also rising. More people are symptomatic and more people have been exposed. The result is discouraging wait times, inequalities in access, testing backlogs, and slow turnaround times... #PIHchat https://twitter.com/PIH/status/1286320860576522240
Where demand is high, people have difficulty getting an appointment to be tested, or have to wait in very long lines. This further discourages people from getting tested, as not everyone is willing or able to wait. #PIHchat https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/as-cases-surge-lines-for-covid-19-tests-sometimes-stretch-miles-in-the-summer-heat/2020/07/01/f0951586-ba4b-11ea-80b9-40ece9a701dc_story.html
And more testing doesn't always mean better testing. Disparities are visible in access. Communities of color are both at higher risk of infection, but also more likely to experience longer wait times and understaffed testing centers. #PIHchat https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/covid-19-testing-disparities-evident-san-antonio-dallas/story?id=71884727
Another challenge is that most testing is done by private labs (Quest diagnostics, etc), and currently they are overwhelmed. The result is large backlogs, with 1+ day turnaround for priority patients (pre-op, HCWs) but 7+ days for everyone else. #PIHchat https://www.cbsnews.com/news/quest-diagnostics-coronavirus-testing-seven-day-turnaround-case-surge/
As discussed by @DanLarremore and colleagues, fast turnaround time is critical. 7+ day waits are in a practical sense useless. We can "count" that case, but not respond in a timely manner to reduce their likelihood of transmitting to others. #PIHchat https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.20136309v2
How can we build a more robust infrastructure for testing that can handle our current surge in infections, along with future surges in the fall/winter? What is the role of government or academic labs? Share your thoughts using #PIHchat.
