Abbott says there’s need for even more testing after FDA gives EUA clearance
Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL) has received federal clearance for two coronavirus tests in as many weeks and the company is set to develop even more diagnostic devices, according to Abbott CEO Miles White. “There’s a need for more,” he told CNBC. The FDA gave Abbott emergency use authorization (EUA) for its point-of-care test called ID NOW COVID-19 that claims to diagnose the virus in five minutes in individuals, the fastest such test available. Abbott received EUA on its m2000 RealTime SARS-CoV-2 the week prior and has shipped more than 150,000 units. This week, Abbott is ramping up production of the ID NOW nasal swab test to 50,000 units per day. Read more.
CMS issues sweeping array of new rules, waivers of federal requirements for hospital capacity
CMS is issuing a sweeping array of new rules and waivers of federal requirements to ensure that local hospitals and health systems have the capacity to absorb and effectively manage potential surges of COVID-19 patients. The actions introduce flexibilities to permit hospitals and healthcare systems to act as coordinators of healthcare delivery in their areas. Some of the actions CMS is taking include:
- Increase hospital capacity
- Rapidly expand the healthcare workforce
- Put patients over paperwork
- Further promote telehealth in Medicare
Detroit to get rapid testing kits
The city of Detroit is receiving rapid testing kits for COVID-19. The city has signed a contract with Abbott, allowing Detroit to become one of the first U.S. cities to receive such kits that return positive results in five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said the city will get five testing machines and 5,000 testing kits next week. The testing will be used for first responders and healthcare workers. Detroit plans to run about 250 of the instant tests each day. Read more.
Decision to extend social distancing to April 30 was based on 12 statistical models
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that President Donald Trump’s decision to extend social distancing guidelines until April 30 came after officials reviewed 12 different statistical models. However, a separate model that the coronavirus task force is also using estimates that more than 2,000 people could die each in the U.S. in mid-April. The model is updated regularly and predicts 224,000 hospital beds will be needed on April 15, when the U.S. is estimated to reach “peak resource use.” The analysis relies on data from Italy, China and the U.S., using past experiences to predict the future. Read more.
President Trump says he could foresee scenario where all Americans wear masks in public
President Donald Trump said he could foresee a scenario where all Americans are recommended to wear masks in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The idea was raised in a road map authored by former FDA head, Dr. Scott Gottlieb. President Trump said that if he does offer that recommendation, it would be for “a period of time, not forever.” Read more.
U.S. expects another coronavirus outbreak in fall, but also to be better prepared
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said he anticipates the U.S. will endure another coronavirus outbreak in the fall, but by then, the country will be better prepared to fight the illness. “In fact, I would anticipate that that would actually happen because of the degree of transmissibility,” said Dr. Fauci, responding to a reporter asking about the potential reemergence of the virus. “Our ability to go out and be able to test, identify, isolate, and contract trace will be orders of magnitude better than what it was just a couple of months ago.” Read more.
MIT researcher says COVID-19 droplets can travel up to 27 feet
Lydia Bourouiba, an associate professor at MIT, has researched the dynamics of exhalations like coughs and sneezes at The Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission Laboratory and found exhalations cause gaseous clouds that can travel up to 27 feet. Safety measures by the CDC and WHO call for six and three feet of space, respectively, between people. Bourouiba said current guidelines are based on large droplets as the method of transmission for the virus and the idea that those large droplets can only travel a certain distance. In the Journal of the American Medical Association last week, she stated peak exhalation speeds can reach 33 to 100 feet per second and currently used N95 surgical and N95 masks are not tested for these potential characteristics of respiratory emissions. Read more.
Washington, D.C., mayor threatens jail time for leaving home during coronavirus
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser is threatening residents with 90 days in jail and a $5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak. “Our message remains the same: stay home,” the mayor said. The stay-home order has exceptions for grocery shopping and work deemed essential. Outdoor recreation like running is allowed, but cannot involve people outside of a household. The order is similar to orders in Maryland and Virginia. Read more.