Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Making rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 cheaper and more accessible can catch the infectious cases before they spread and help everyone resume normal activities safely.
The new rapid test is available without a prescription, but only 20 million are set to be sold by the middle of next year.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
A new over-the-counter COVID-19 test has been authorized by the FDA. Though it can be used to test people with and without symptoms, moderate cost and limited production mean it isn’t a game-changer.
Access to testing had been improving across the U.S., but as cases increase, more testing is needed.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing across the US. Testing has ramped up over the past few months, but increasing hospitalizations, deaths and test-positivity rates show that the virus is out of control.
Easy, fast coronavirus testing is critical to controlling the virus.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The new BinaxNOW antigen test is quick, easy, accurate and cheap. It could solve the US testing problem, but the emergency use authorization only allows people with COVID-19 symptoms to get tested.
Ls programas de salud pública deben detectar más casos de COVID-19 y detectarlos antes de que se propaguen.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Si bien las pruebas de detección no son tan precisas como las pruebas de diagnóstico, son prometedoras porque son económicas, rápidas, fáciles de producir y no requieren procesamiento de laboratorio.
Broad and frequent screening could catch coronavirus cases before they can spread to others.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Testing large numbers of people regularly would reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the US. Laboratory testing is slow and expensive, but rapid screening tests could be the answer.
There are functional tests for coronavirus, but not enough of them are being done.
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Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Ideally everyone could get tested frequently for the coronavirus. No state is close to achieving this, but some are doing better than others. What are the challenges in meeting demand for testing?
Over 2,000 drugs are approved by the FDA for human use.
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