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As Turnaround Times Grow For Coronavirus Tests, NYC Mulls Rapid Options
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 26, 2020
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 26, 2020
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Facing growing turnaround times for coronavirus test results, and with schools set to reopen in just two weeks, New York City officials said on Wednesday that they're considering a new saliva-based testing method.
According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the median average for receiving a test result in the city is now four days — up from two days just a few weeks ago. He did not provide a reason for the worsening delays.
The admission comes one month after the mayor claimed the city had largely "resolved" its agonizing wait times, which he blamed on a national surge in cases.
While the city has not provided a mean average for testing, the median figure means more than half of tests are taking at least five days — and in some cases, significantly longer. According to the Health Department, a quarter of tests did not return results for at least two weeks between August 4th and August 11th, the most recent week that data was available.
At New York City's largest urgent care chain, CityMD, the average time to receive a result is 10 days, with a minimum wait of at least a week, according to an automated message that greets potential patients.
As the city grapples with stubbornly long wait times, NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said on Wednesday that the agency was "looking closely" at a new saliva-based test, which was granted an emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month.
The test has been used in recent weeks on NBA players, as well as at University of Illinois. According to a pre-print study, Yale School of Public Health researchers who developed the test found that it agreed with the nasal swab 94 percent of the time.
The test is seen as more efficient than previously approved saliva tests, as it does not require chemical reagents or swabs currently at a premium due to the pandemic.
Last month, the city rolled out pilot programs for two other rapid tests, though they've yet to expand widely.
Neither the mayor nor his health commissioner offered a timeline for bringing the new saliva test to New York City.
"We are hopeful that faster tests could be reliable and that's really been the question," de Blasio said. "Could we depend on them and believe in their results? That picture is improving for sure and it could make it part of the strategy more and more going forward."
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Kim
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COVID-19
testing
coronavirus
mayor bill de blasio
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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