COVID-19 Testing and the Trump Administration -- Still a Failure

A New York Times article summarizes the state of testing in the US. According to the NYT, experts estimate that 1.9 million tests per day would be necessary to mitigate the spread of the disease. At present less than one-half that level of testing, about 667,000 per day, is being conducted. Also, there are often delays in getting test results due to backlogs and test reagent shortages.

Experts believe that there should be enough testing capacity for anyone with flu-like symptoms plus an additional 10 people for any symptomatic person who tests positive for the virus. That would require more than double the number of daily tests currently being performed. Estimates for the testing required to suppress the spread of the virus are higher.

The NYT article also indicates that the the percent of tests that come back positive should be at or below 5 percent for at least 14 days before a state or country can safely reopen. The the current positive rate in the US is 9 percent. Lower rates indicate that testing is more widespread and that it is not limited to those with severe symptoms. 

In short, the US testing situation remains a failure.

Administration lies

Trump administration spokespersons continue to falsely portray the situation as a success and rapidly getting better. The administration continues to falsely assert that (1) testing is adequate, and (2) we are informed about the status of the pandemic. Administration spin and lies are intense and sophisticated. The propaganda provides Trump supporters with plenty of talking points to make the pandemic seem overblown and the administration's response seem stellar. An administration spokesman is full of lies, deception, inconsistencies and sleight of hand in an NPR interview this morning.

In short, the president and his administration remains both incompetent and untrustworthy.