Getting enough testing kits out to the nation has become the primary challenge for the Trump Administration and health experts. And the importance of these kits cannot be overstated.
On a macro scale, massive testing reveals where the “hot spots” are and thus where the medical equipment and supplemental personnel might be needed the most. In addition, the news that an area has become a heightened zone of virus activity importantly alerts the citizenry in those areas to abide by the CDC’s protocols and to use social distancing when out in public. Without the information. people do not take the threat seriously.and stop taking precautions.
In addition,on a personal scale, with the onset of symptoms individuals need to find out quickly if they in fact have the virus. If the test if positive, the affected person would immediately go into isolation to keep from spreading the disease. If the symptoms are moderate, one can recover at home and be confident when healthy that the virus no longer represents a threat to oneself or others.. (Assuming that having the illness provides immunity which has not been directly announced.)
Knowledge of one’s positive status also alerts the person that worsening symptoms means contacting a physician and getting advise on where to go for immediate treatment. It is presumed that hospitals in large urban cities will have up to the minute status advisories on their websites re bed capacities, respirator and ventilator availability and if they are still taking new patients. Physicians can direct patients then on where to go for treatment.
In small towns and rural areas, a regional hospital can post the same information. And one would hope that these regional hospitals in particular would have the foresight and funds available to set up makeshift facilities to handle high demand and patient overflow. And it is this notion of an area getting hit all at once with many patients that the CDC worries about the most. They describe the situation by saying they want to flatten the curve. What they mean by that is they want to steady the overall pace of the spread. If the numbers of people contracting the disease goes along at a slow and steady pace, then the national health system can effectively manage the in-take.
However if there is a huge spike (the curve) with more patients than the national system can manage, then the U.S. would perhaps find itself in tho same dire straights as Italy is facing today. Because their health system is overwhelmed, the Italian medical teams are in triage in which they are having to choose who to treat and who to let die.
In trump’s press conference today, he announced a a state of National Emergency which frees up billions of dollars and adds additional powers to the Executive Branch to combat the pandemic. Trump also has created a private/government partnership with the leaders of corporations who have offered to step in and support the government’s efforts.
These measures were long in coming and they certainly will help. In the midst of the good news however,Trump also managed to shake hands with some of the business leaders – a CDC no no. He also cut off several reporters questions in mid sentence who asked too tough questions. He also claimed that he didn’t know anything about the fact that the pandemic office in the National Security Council had been shuttered and the staff let go. And “No, I don’t take responsibility” for the mistakes in preparedness. Give Trump enough time with the mike……….. …….
The following article from The New York Times does an excellent job in highlighting what some Americans have experienced trying to get tested. It is an eye opener.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/coronavirus-testing-challenges.html