Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #testingkits
Most recents (2)
I posted about sourcing #N95masks for #coronavirus in an earlier tweet, now here’s more about sourcing #testingkits, #ventilators etc. and how I got my kits. Supply-chain is fascinating. Storm 👇
There are multiple approaches to testing. The fastest is an antibody blood test I got. A more accurate approach is RT-PCR via a nasal swab. It’s slower since it requires a lab to process the samples. Many countries use both tests for each patient.
If you are trying to source the antibody test, most testing kits now test for both IgG and IgM in *a single kit*, and cost around $10 for each test. It shows results in 15 mins like a pregnancy test. Most of these kits are mass produced in China.
THREAD on what’s wrong w/ #testkits right now:
A friend had a patient w/ chills/cough, plausibly w #Covid_19, but w/o known exposure.
He requested a #coronavirus test. He was denied.
Then he tried an X-ray to rule out pneumonia, but he was denied for possible #COVID
1/
A friend had a patient w/ chills/cough, plausibly w #Covid_19, but w/o known exposure.
He requested a #coronavirus test. He was denied.
Then he tried an X-ray to rule out pneumonia, but he was denied for possible #COVID
1/
So this poor guy can’t get a #Covid test because he had no travel history or known exposure to #coronavirus.
And he couldn’t have pneumonia ruled out because a doc thinks he might have #Covid_19.
He’s caught in a testing catch-22
2/
And he couldn’t have pneumonia ruled out because a doc thinks he might have #Covid_19.
He’s caught in a testing catch-22
2/
The OBVIOUS first issue is that we STILL don’t have enough #testingkits otherwise this guy would get one.
But there’s a second issue: we’re not using them correctly either.
In medicine/public health you never run a test that won’t change your management.
3/
But there’s a second issue: we’re not using them correctly either.
In medicine/public health you never run a test that won’t change your management.
3/
