Rapid testing underway on the Central Coast, but limitations remain

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System said they only have about 70 reagents to test for COVID-19 and they have to limit their use of the testing.

Tests are only being used on “high-risk cases” and people with the most severe symptoms.

SALINAS VALLEYMEMORIAL HEALTHCARESYSTEM HAS BEGUNRAPID COVID 19TESTING..POSITIVE RESULTS INFIVE MINUTES..NEGATIVE IN LESSTHAN 15..BUT ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHRISTOPHERSALAS EXPLAINS WHY NOMORE THAN FIVE PEOPLEARE BEING TESTED A DAY..DESPITE THEINCREDIBLE BENEFITSWITH THESE RAPIDRESULTS..THIS WEEK..SALINAS VALLEYMEMORIAL HEALTHCARESYSTEM ROLLED OUT ANEW RAPID COVID-19TEST MACHINE...PROVIDING RESULTS IN 15MINUTES OR LESS..THE PROBLEM IS NOW..THE MACHINE ONLY RUNSFOR ABOUT AN HOUR ADAY.2089590 19:24 "PRETTYMUCH NOBODY CAN EASILYGET RE-AGENTS ANYWHERE."RE-AGENTS ARE THECARTRIDGES THATALLOW THE MACHINE TODETECT COVID-19...2089590 09:13 "THEDETECTION TAKES PLACE INTHIS ORANGE COMPONENT."SVMH LEAD LABSCIENTIST TIMOTHYJOHNSON SAID AT THEMOMENT..THE HOSPITAL ONLY HASABOUT 70 OF THESE RE-AGENTS..AND THERE'S ASHORTAGE THROUGHOUTTHE COUNTRY.2089590 19:28 "IT JUSTCOMES TRICKLES IN ANDYOU'RE JUST BLESSED TO GETSOME." 01:35 "THAT'S WHYWE PRIORITIZE USING THETESTS FOR PATIENTS THATARE GOING TO COME ON THEIN-PATIENT SIDE OF THEHOSPITAL." ONLY PATIENTSWITH THE MOST SEVERESYMPTOMS GET RAPIDTESTING..WHICH AT THE MOMENTIS ONLY TWO TO FIVEPEOPLE A DAY.DESPITE THE IMMESNEBENEFITS WITH QUICKRESULTS..208958603:41 "WE CANKNOW RIGHT AWAY WITHIN15 MINUTES.

SO WE KNOWWE DON'T AHVE TO ISOLATEPATIETNS, WE CANCONSERVE THE USE OF PPE.SO IT TAKES A LOT LESS INTHE CARE FOR THOSEPATIENTS, KNWOING THERESULT RIGHTAWAY." THEHOSPITAL SAYS IT'S WHYTHEY'D LIKE TO INCREASETHEIR CAPACITY...AND PROVIDE ANYONEWHO PRESENTSSYMPTOMS WITH A RAPIDRESULT..BUT THAT STATE DECIDESWHERE THE REAGENTSGO ..AND AT THIS POINT..THERE'S NO TIMETABLEFOR WHEN MORE MAY BEAVAILABLE.2089595 31:53 "THSI ISTHE UNITED STATES ANDWE'RE NOT USE TORATIONING.

WE ALWAYSHAVE AN ABUNDANCY OFTESTING, AN ABUNDANCY OFDIFFERENT MATERIALS FOROUR HOSPITALS AND OURCARE GIVERS AND OURPATIENTS.

THIS IS A NEWNORM FOR ALL OF US." EARLY RESULTS FROMA NEW STUDY SUGGESTCORONAVIRUS PATIENTS... MAY BE RESPO