Local Doctor: “We are not a hot spot. So, they won’t send it”

ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WPDE) — Southeastern Regional Medical Lab Director Dr. Richard Johnson said his hospital has the platform or equipment to conduct rapid testing for COVID-19, or coronavirus, but right now they’re not able to use the equipment.  Dr. Johnson said you can find out within an hour if you have coronavirus or not. He added they’re missing reagents or key chemicals needed to perform rapid testing.  Dr. Johnson also said they’ve ordered the reagents, but aren’t getting them.”

“Unfortunately, because we are a small hospital and a non-hotspot. We can’t get those reagents to do the testing in our own facility. From what I understand, one of the technologies has already canceled our order. We won’t be getting it,” said Dr. Johnson. He said the companies that manufacture the reagents are sending them to major cities that are overrun with coronavirus cases. “We are not a hot spot. So, they won’t send it.  They are sending it to California, New York, and other hot places preferentially, you know, which I do understand.  Small hospitals are also getting hit with this. It would be very nice to have the capability of swapping someone with who has suspected COVID-19 and getting a result in less than an hour. That’s with those platforms can do for us if we have the reagents to do it,” said Dr. Johnson.”

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Source:  https://wpde.com/news/coronavirus/robeson-county-doctor-says-he-can-provide-fast-results-for-covid-19-testing-but-his-hands