If you’ve been following the news, you’ve noticed that each country affected by coronavirus is scrambling to contain it. A recent article from The Verge covered the FDA’s effort to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Last week, the FDA issued an expedited approval for a coronavirus diagnostic test, allowing state health labs to use it. Prior to that, all samples from suspected cases in the country had to be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing.
The FDA green-lit use under an Emergency Use Authorization, which allows for the use of medical products in life-threatening situations when there are no approved alternatives. The initial effort included 200 test kits being sent to qualified domestic and international labs. Each kit can run between 700 and 800 coronavirus tests.
