[rmd2]

I just saw where the University of Florida medical people were using CDC test kits at the Polo Field to test people for the corona virus. The CDC kits were found to have been defective even prior to them having been used here. Why weren't they using the accurate test kits (I think from Abbott)? I am concerned that any results they gave people could possibly be incorrect. Does anyone have any more information on this?

[kaydee]

I’d certainly like to know more about this. How can it be possible to risk getting false answers?

[JimJohnson]

It is a shame how this issue has been handled from local all the way to the top.

[Nucky]

Proof Please?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by JimJohnson

It is a shame how this issue has been handled from local all the way to the top.

You find fault with the testing here?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by rmd2

I just saw where the University of Florida medical people were using CDC test kits at the Polo Field to test people for the corona virus. The CDC kits were found to have been defective even prior to them having been used here. Why weren't they using the accurate test kits (I think from Abbott)? I am concerned that any results they gave people could possibly be incorrect. Does anyone have any more information on this?

You saw where?

[bumpygreens]

Are you sure you were seeing current news? The CDC had flawed test kits back in February. By early March this wasn't an issue.

[bumpygreens]

Originally Posted by JimJohnson

It is a shame how this issue has been handled from local all the way to the top.

If that's your two cents worth, you should be aware that we have price gouging laws.

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by bumpygreens

If that's your two cents worth, you should be aware that we have price gouging laws.

At 2 cents you saw his opinion was over priced..... I agree!

[GoPacers]

Originally Posted by rmd2

I just saw where the University of Florida medical people were using CDC test kits at the Polo Field to test people for the corona virus. The CDC kits were found to have been defective even prior to them having been used here. Why weren't they using the accurate test kits (I think from Abbott)? I am concerned that any results they gave people could possibly be incorrect. Does anyone have any more information on this?

You should do your homework on the Abbott test - as well as a lot of the tests out there, including tests provided by the CDC. There are literally over 100 tests out there including molecular and serological with more coming each day. Each were "rushed" to market with the best of intentions to help (or to capitalize on the demand...$$). That doesn't mean each and every one is a good test. We're learning more with each passing day and we're also confirming why validation of the tests is so important.

For anyone watching the news, don't confuse 5000 CLIA labs with test availability. That's like saying we have 100,000 gas stations during the oil embargo in the 1970's.

We have a major gap between demand and the availability of tests that produce quality results.

[blueash]

The kits being used, when last I read about it, are of two types. Those being tested because they have symptoms are with an approved kit. Those being tested who are healthy and just wish to be tested are using a kit that is not approved. This does not mean one is "better" than the other, simply that the approved kit has met FDA standards as being valid enough for use. The non-approved may be less accurate, equally, or better but it has not been vetted. The FDA, not the CDC, approves kits. They have relaxed their usual lengthy evaluation under an emergency authorization to allow more manufacturers and labs to get their kits into use.
Thus there are kits that are FDA approved that down the road may have been less than the quality we would want in a perfect world. You can read about the process for FDA emergency authorization HERE

The OP is expressing concern that UF was using defective CDC kits at the polo field. This is mixing up two events. At the beginning of the COVID outbreak there was no test for the virus as it was new. The Chinese gov't within a couple weeks of the recognition that this was a novel disease had the genome of the virus sequenced and found it did not match any known pathogen. The Chinese made the genome information public on Jan 12th. They then began producing a kit to identify the virus which was simpler than doing a genome test on every sample. As the possibility that this would not remain localized was recognized, other countries began developing their own tests, including the US where it was being done at the CDC.

Some countries were successful at rapidly producing and deploying kits. An excellent example is South Korea. However, sadly, the kits that the CDC made and on Feb 7th shipped out to state health departments were failures. This was realized when the end users ran controls on the kits. A control is a known sample. If the kit is working the known positive control should always show as positive when tested, similarly for negative control which should always show as negative. These defective kits were NEVER used on patients but it took some time before the production failure was recognized. It is not clear why the control failure was not noted before shipment.

With the CDC being the facility that was making kits now having failed, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization EUA on March 16th allowing others to use kits they had produced that had not gone thru the FDA approval process. This has taken up many weeks and we still do not have enough kits for the testing demand. Identification of genome Jan 12, CDC kit failure noted Feb 7, FDA authorization for other kits Mar 16th. It should be noted that in the run up to Mar 16 private and university labs were working on making COVID kits but until the FDA EUA they could not use them except as part of a study.

[JimJohnson]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

You find fault with the testing here?

Yes I do. It’s way late coming and way to slow with not enough equipment.

[wirenail444]

The initial test kits were contaminated but the problem has long ago fixed. Current tests are ok. Stop spreading old rumors.

[Linnberg]

Originally Posted by rmd2

I just saw where the University of Florida medical people were using CDC test kits at the Polo Field to test people for the corona virus. The CDC kits were found to have been defective even prior to them having been used here. Why weren't they using the accurate test kits (I think from Abbott)? I am concerned that any results they gave people could possibly be incorrect. Does anyone have any more information on this?

Those were the original ones which lost time but were replaced long ago with new ones from CDC. They are
Accurate/fine. The ones from Abbott weren’t released until the middle of the tests here. We have enough to worry about so don’t be concerned about the accuracy. However just because your results were negative does not mean you could not have picked it up a day later.

[Hrvbar]

I am leery to post here due to not wanting to be berated as some people usually do, but does anyone know what type of testing UF Health was using? Also, UF Health is not an FDA approved laboratory to process these samples that were taken. I’m just wondering how we are so quick to say that these tests were approved by the FDA, when there is nowhere that says which test was being used.