Surging COVID-19 Cases Are Pushing Laboratories to the Breaking Point

Long lines for testing. Shortages of critical testing supplies. Case backlogs and long reporting delays. Laboratories across the country and the patients they serve are reliving the nightmares of March and April as COVID-19 cases surge across the country. Things could get even worse this time around as holiday season get-togethers, winter weather and flu season all converge. The key question: Do laboratories have the capacity to keep up with testing demands? The Bleak Outlook Regrettably, the answer at this point seems to be no. U.S. laboratories are currently testing 1.5 million people per day, which is more than double the rate in July. But as case volume increases and patients rush to get tested before traveling to be with family for Thanksgiving, this is not nearly enough. A Nov. 12 statement by American Clinical Lab Association (ACLA) president Julie Khani warns that at this rate, some ACLA members are likely to reach or exceed their current testing capacities in the coming days. The Continuing Supplies Shortage Trump administration officials estimate that the U.S. has enough tests to screen between 4 million and 5 million per day in November. The problem with those numbers is that they are based on the premise […]