Thread by @JAMA_current

1/3 Why the US was slow on #COVID19 testing:
1) CDC test kits were inaccurate: results came back negative or inconclusive due to failure of the negative control
ja.ma/39DeyOM
#SARCoV2 #Coronavirus
@drjoshs @scottjbecker @MichelleM_Mello

2/3 Why the US was slow on #COVID19 testing:
2) CDC initially limited testing to a narrow group of people with known #COVID19 exposure
ja.ma/39DeyOM
#SARCoV2 #Coronavirus
@drjoshs @scottjbecker @MichelleM_Mello

3/3 Why the US was slow on #COVID19 testing:
3) Existing FDA policy required authorization of independent lab-developed testing, requirements that have since been loosened
ja.ma/39DeyOM
#SARCoV2 #Coronavirus
@drjoshs @scottjbecker @MichelleM_Mello

Clarification: The FDA has discretion to permit testing in the setting of an emergency and initially chose to limit approval to the CDC test before changing course on February 29
ja.ma/39DeyOM
#SARCoV2 #Coronavirus
@drjoshs @scottjbecker @MichelleM_Mello