COVID Update April 16: A day of progress, sorta progress, the governors vs. the President. Testing & contact tracing.
Follow if interested. Here goes. 1/
Follow if interested. Here goes. 1/
The day started with an odd but telling text. 2/ 
With the country completely dependent on much more significant testing capability, something the equivalent of 8% additional national testing couldn’t find a home.
More troublesome, there was no method to allocate tests based upon who needed them the most. 3/
More troublesome, there was no method to allocate tests based upon who needed them the most. 3/
I riffled through my memory for which states & which governors are where with testing capability & needs.
As I had coffee, I contemplated that there had to be a national figure or organization who was tracking & allocating tests. I could think of none.4/
As I had coffee, I contemplated that there had to be a national figure or organization who was tracking & allocating tests. I could think of none.4/
I thought about @RonaldKlain and if this were the Ebola crisis that he led our way out of for Obama-Biden, no one would need to call me. Or I could call him. Alas. 5/
At least there should be a public database that would allow me to direct them somewhere? Alas.
Every governor I knew was desperately in need of tests so one call and I presumed it would be done. 6/
Every governor I knew was desperately in need of tests so one call and I presumed it would be done. 6/
My gut is no better than anyone else’s but my priority was saving the most lives. I found the state with the most significant nursing home deaths & needed ability to test nursing home workers.
I called the governor & made the connection. I can’t say I felt great about it. 7/
I called the governor & made the connection. I can’t say I felt great about it. 7/
I walked the dog & called someone I trusted on the walk, a very senior former federal official with values I respected & who was close to the crisis.
They said they would have considered directing it to their own home state. Sorry Minnesotans. 8/
They said they would have considered directing it to their own home state. Sorry Minnesotans. 8/
I was now curious what was going on with labs. Major commercial labs had seen their production reduced by 25%.
Trump later tried to describe that as a good thing.
I looked through my morning report & triangulated a bit. Testing had plateaued. 9/
Trump later tried to describe that as a good thing.
I looked through my morning report & triangulated a bit. Testing had plateaued. 9/
Later in the day, Pence bragged that we would have 5 million tests by the end of the month. When I did the math on this, however, it implied 750k tests/week, when we’re currently doing 1 million. Something was wrong. 10/
I texted another lab. Any excess tests not being bought?
-Health insurers discounting payment heavily. Some labs not producing as a result.
-Yes, hey have production that people aren’t using.
-No idea why bi labs are down.
-Many claiming to have tests don’t have reagents 11/
-Health insurers discounting payment heavily. Some labs not producing as a result.
-Yes, hey have production that people aren’t using.
-No idea why bi labs are down.
-Many claiming to have tests don’t have reagents 11/
Once again, how about a testing Czar? 12/
So the curve is flattening. All better right?
Let’s look at New York and their progress. 13/
Let’s look at New York and their progress. 13/
Bad news: I am going to imbed a thread. I hate imbedded threads. But I did it a few hours ago so it’s fresh. 14/
Patience is the key. It’s hard. And in 1918 those areas that showed it cut the death rate in half.
Governors have long realized they are on their own in this crisis. 15/
Governors have long realized they are on their own in this crisis. 15/
Speaking in mmm if patience— I have another imbedded thread. 😔
So go down the rabbit hole, then try to come right back. You’ll be ok. I believe. 16/
So go down the rabbit hole, then try to come right back. You’ll be ok. I believe. 16/
Trump’s “plan” today was an acknowledgement that he would not set the governors had already taken charge while he tried to will the virus away. 17/
What’s better than a PowerPoint?
Some help with testing. 18/
Some help with testing. 18/
Tomorrow you will see a first stab at how far along the states are and how far they need to go. Very raw. But the hope is it will help us all get there.
You will see the launch of “How we beat COVID-19.” A resource & evaluation guide. 19/
You will see the launch of “How we beat COVID-19.” A resource & evaluation guide. 19/
In the meantime, I hope you and loved ones are safe. It’s a day that counts for some progress with a long way to go in the midst id a global pandemic. /end
