We Need Rapid Antigen Testing NOW

What if I told you there is an inexpensive test that can tell you in about 15 minutes whether or not you were actively shedding the Covid virus? A test you can take in the privacy of your home, and that is as easy to read as a pregnancy test. 

Sounds pretty good, right? Seems like something that everyone should have, right?

The number one problem in public health is identifying asymptomatic infectious carriers and preventing them from spreading the virus, especially from so-called outbreak events. With more contagious variants now in the US, the urgency is even more crucial. 

Now news of the vaccine, and of new highly transmissable variants, share the stage with pleas for wearing masks.  Taking in the totality of the coverage on MSNBC, the narrative reads like this: We have vaccines, but it will be awhile before most of you get one. In the meantime the rollout has been horriffic, and on top of that we are facing new variants that are exponentially more transmissable. So keep wearing your masks, keep social distancing, and keep waiting your turn. 

The public is suffering from Covid fatigue.The vast majority of people wear masks, but they see little improvement in the pace of infection and hospitalization. Part of that is no doubt due to mixed messaging, some from frustration with the pace of recovery, and part due to the lack of control people feel. There is a sense that there must be something else we can do to combat this viral enemy. 

 MSNBC does a wonderful job covering the human interest stories about front line workers, health care professionals, about the inequities exposed by the virus. But the network, which prides itself on its wokeness and focus on diversity, nonetheless lacks intellectual diversity in its coverage and a lack of perspicacity in its pursuit of Covid stories. 

Rarely are public health experts and epidemiologists given time on the air. This is their wheelhouse. While the on air doctors speak eloquently, they speak generally, and do not broach the issue of rapid antigen testing at all. Frequent guest Dr. Ashish Jah, who signed a letter with 50 other experts imploring for the use of these tests, has never been asked even one question on the matter.

I'm hopful that new leadership at the FDA and CDC will broach this impass and support the mass production and distribution of this critical public health tool. I believe new CDC Director Rachel Wallensky has spoken approvingly.

If we want our schools, indoor venues, restaurants, and small businessess reopened, we have to continue masking and physical distancing. But we have another weapon in our arsenal, and its time we put it to good use.