Where Are the Test Kits??

Thom plus logo We now know that people who are exposed to the coronavirus begin shedding viruses themselves within 24 hours of exposure, although it can take up to two weeks before they get symptoms. Healthcare workers and people in regular contact with large numbers of people should be tested regularly or perhaps even daily. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been withholding tests because Donald Trump thought that high numbers of known infections would hurt his chances of getting reelected in November.

We are the only developed country in the world that is not making available the World Health Organization test kit, which has been out for months and is widely available. The two for-profit companies that Trump has authorized to make money on the test kits processed a couple thousand tests yesterday. That is supposed to be good news. Americans know better...

-Thom

Comments

Worn out door knobs's picture
Worn out door knobs 3 years 10 weeks ago
#1

Thom Hartmann you should be ashamed of yourself. You are putting out false information and trying to panic your few listeners. Testing will only tell you one of two things. Either you have Coronavirus today or you don't have it today. If you have it, health authorities will quarantine you. If you don't have it, that doesn't mean you won't get it. You also stated that a German company is the only company in the world working on a vaccine......here's a news flash for you patient testing of a new vaccine is starting today in Washington state.
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/coronavirus-vaccine-test-opens-us-volunteer-1st-shot-69624041

Legend 3 years 10 weeks ago
#2

The so called Google website that 1700 are working on is online in the CA Bay area. The requirements to apply for testing (does not mean that you will be tested) are:

18 or older. Tough luck if you are younger and have it.

Must be able to speak and read English. Those that do not speak English will just spread it.

Must be a USA Resident. Tourists and Illegals and even legally here but not a citizen need not apply.

Be Located in one of the counties that has testing. Currently 2 out of 58 in CA.

Does anybody understand that lack of testing totally skews all statistics and it can only be worse and not less?

https://www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19/#who-s-eligible-to-get-screened-for-covid-19-testing

deepspace's picture
deepspace 3 years 10 weeks ago
#3

Exactly, Legend. Testing is the foremost tool for gaining the upper hand on a pandemic. And lack of testing is Trump's foremost failure as a leader in confronting this crisis, especially since he had relatively sufficient lead time while observing China's developing responses. He is being heavily criticized, rightfully so, largely as a consequence of his initial denial of reality, unpreparedness, and unconscionable politicization of a serious plague. Just what good is he anyway?

We need to know where the clusters are and how fast they are growing to better target dwindling resources and implement realistic strategies -- another inexcusable failure by this phony "administration." IOW, we need to have "eyes" on it, like on any other mortal enemy.

Alas, through idiotic denial, nearly three months of procrastination, prevarication, false hope, and gross incompetence as a manager in times of turmoil (Or any other time for that matter. It's no wonder he went bankrupt six times.), Trump totally blew it ..."bigly."

Given his glaring history of underhandedness, incompetence, and failure in the business world, why would anyone think otherwise unless they themselves are in denial?

Worn out door knobs [sic] misses the whole point of testing yet beautifully exemplifies the absurd misinformation deliberately disseminated by negatively influential Republicans and their worthless leader. Her enlightening response also reveals an apparent unconscious but fairly stark "me" versus a "we" attitude, which seems to be an almost inbred trait with most Republicans these days.

And now their head clown is going full-blown socialist to again bail out his rich-bastard donors to keep his so-called "numbers up" on the economy for any hope of re-election. But that's corporate socialism, i.e., fascism. He could care less about sick and dying people if they don't affect his numbers politically and/or financially.

Wingers should admit to themselves what everyone else already knows: Trump's Republicans are ignorant hypocrites of the worst kind.

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