Just a couple late breaking developments.

–Abbott has received an emergency use authorization for their rapid ID Now device.  This is a point of care device that does a quick and dirty version of the RT-PCR to detect SARS-CoV-2.  It can ID a positive in 6 minutes, and run longer to be more sure of a negative (although not 100% sure as we discussed last email) in 13 minutes.  A test like this is a -fantastic- choice for rapid triage in ERs, hospitals, urgent cares etc.  May also be a better option for the “walking wounded”.  They expect to be shipping kits later this week, and prioritizing harder hit regions (so… New York).  BioFire has a very similar system, but does not expect to have their kits produced for distribution until July, last I heard.

–This would still be a significant advance in turnaround time, which is crucial for triage in healthcare facilities.  We’re about 50/50 same day and next day turnaround time on our RT-PCR right now (but will still quote 1-3 days because we do have to occasionally repeat a sample to get the right answer).  I’ve heard some places in the state are being quoted 5-8 day turnaround time still from other major testing centers.

–Serology tests, or antibody tests, are popping up out of the wood work.  The FDA was “encouraging” more of them to go through the emergency use authorization process.  These kind of tests are best at telling if you have been exposed to the virus before, and have made antibodies to it (and thus, in theory, are protected from the virus).  They SHOULD NOT be used to diagnose an active infection, at least not without one of the PCR tests being run at the same time.  But these, as we have mentioned, will be very very useful to understanding the true CFR.

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