In order to boost screening capacity to help contain the growing coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization last week for a COVID-19 coronavirus test made by Swiss diagnostics maker Roche, which will roll out with over 400,000 tests this week.
The company says these “very precise” automated tests can provide results in 3.5 hours as opposed to a few days. The company will begin its rollout with over 400,000 tests this week, Roche CEO Dr. Severin Schwan told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
“We are of course ramping up supply as much as we can,” he said, adding that the tests go first where they’re most needed. “For that purpose, we are closely working together with the authorities, the CDC, in particular, to allocate tests to those labs and to those regions where we can make the biggest impact during this crisis.”
MacDailyNews Note: In light of the extraordinary events due to the coronavirus, we may at times cover news that is not explicitly Apple-related (although the quicker we get a handle on this, the quicker Apple and other companies can reopen retail stores, so, basically, all coronavirus news is Apple-related to some extent). Hence this item on U.S. coronavirus tests. Any pertinent information we can help in our own small way to impart, we’ll do. Thank you for your patience and for doing your part to help flatten the curve! The lives of people you love may depend on it.
Please Read: Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” – Washington Post https://t.co/Ahl8qsY1SG
— MacDailyNews (@MacDailyNews) March 16, 2020
Please Do. Thanks
I just wish the media would stop causing people to panic. The grocery situation is absurd. Plenty of supply but the conflicting messages from the US govt. is causing panic. But that is to be expected in a dysfunctional govt. with a bunch of children trying to run it. Media needs to be more responsible here.
What? Irresponsible media? How can that be? I thought they always tell the truth and nothing but the truth. People have to educate themselves – not just sit around sucking on a giant biased media bottle. And ain’t nobody gonna help you – ya gotta do it yourself.
Reliability about 50%, I had read.
Let’s all hope that even more tests ship from even more manufacturers and that accuracy/ quality improves as well. In the meantime; stay home, wash your hands OFTEN, NEVER touch your face, stay FAR AWAY from anyone even slightly sick. That is the way it is. Hang in there! We have to do this together (together, but far away from each other… haha!)!
Of course! Because 350 million Americans are going to call Roche directly to inquire when the test kits will finally be ready…..
Why are you here? MDN inserted itself as part of the media. If you hate the media, then one can leave and live a miserable life in ignorance.
Yes… blame the messenger about how people respond to the message. I don’t like what I see in the news either, but I can’t blame the media for that and can’t blame for what’s coming out of government spokespeople’s mouths.
The government and media are not going to save you from the Wuhan virus. Yes, the government can help. Yes, the media can relay news. But, it is the individual who is going to get sick. You have to wash your own hands. You have stay FAR AWAY from EVERYONE for weeks or longer. Yes, it is tough, but, you have to do it. You have to plan. You have to wear a mask. You have to take your temperature. You have to stay home. You have to sacrifice. This virus is HIGHLY contagious with a higher mortality rate than the regular flu. Yes, people are getting sick. Some are dying. And there will be THOUSANDS more today, this week and for probably another month or THREE. Look around – yes, it sucks. The government and media are not going to take care of you. Yes, you have the right to complain about the media and government, but the virus doesn’t watch TV or vote. You must take care of yourself and your loved ones NOW. That is how life works. And it sometimes sucks big time.
@Wuhan virus:
“You have stay FAR AWAY from EVERYONE for weeks or longer. Yes, it is tough, but, you have to do it.”
And if you work in health care,or dozens of fields that require interaction with the public? For millions, not showing up for work quickly leads to eviction onto the streets.
“The government and media are not going to take care of you”…………..” You must take care of yourself and your loved ones NOW.”
What if you’re sick, don’t have health insurance or $3K for a COVID-19 Test ??
Well ” That is how life works. And it sometimes sucks big time.”
Most Libertarians I know have employer based health care & pensions. Many work for the government. They like to lecture others,from their secure status, about taking care of yourself & not depending on the government; but are, in fact, clueless about the real world.
Can you look at this world Johns Hopkins Wuhan virus dashboard and find ONE place on Earth where the government or media handled everything to your satisfaction… to the satisfaction of the hundreds (or thousands) sick in that country? That’s right, there will be eviction notices. There will be $3,000 tests and free ones at the CDC (that’s right – guess which ones will be more readily available). There are those with health care and pensions. There are those without. Things have been running like this for about 5,000 years of human history. This is a pandemic. It is going to suck. Heck, it sucked BEFORE it was a pandemic. The WHO, the media, the Senate, Trump, China, democrats, Biden + Hillary, The UN, the House, the CDC, the private sector, the republicans aren’t going to fix that. Oh.. have you found the perfect country on the map? No, you haven’t.
Last week Chinese billionaire offered to DONATE 1 million masks & 500K test kits. Get off your high horse America & accept the offer..The sad reality is China has surpassed this country in so many areas.They built hospitals in ten days while we are waiting on “Swiss diagnostics maker Roche” to manufacture test kits for us. Remember seeing those empty store shelves in Venezuela?? If we reach the panic level & its not very far away, you may see people fighting in the streets over toilet paper.
This week a US supposed billionaire attempted to bribe German scientists to restrict distribution of their vaccine. Mobster mentality on display!
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administration-tried-to-pay-germans-scientists-for-coronavirus-cure-2020-3
Presumably this is an Apple site so as COVID-19 pushes the tide out, exposing all the investors and companies swimming without adequate coverage, the discussion should somehow relate to Apple’s financial position. Already some have proposed what Apple should do with its investors’ money.
Should they support their employees or donate to healthcare initiatives who are short of supplies? Those liberal Apple employees would go for that.
Some already-rich AAPL investors want Apple to buy back its own stock and buy Disney. Bad money after good? The last 4 years of stock buybacks were less effective than burning the shares in the fireplace of Cook’s fifth penthouse retreat.
It is at times like these that markets need corporations to look toward the greater good, instead of relying on big bad evil government – hence taxpayers – shouldering all the losses. Any company that buys back stock now is not only making the dumb mistake of trying to catch a falling knife, it’s also throwing away the one bit of insurance that would allow it to ride out an extended recession. Let’s hope wiser long-term thinkers prevail instead of focusing on propping up overvalued stock prices.