Gov. Inslee: ‘Cavalry is on the way’ for coronavirus testing
Apr 14, 2020, 8:29 PM | Updated: Oct 8, 2024, 6:56 am
Gov. Jay Inslee. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Gov. Inslee says he would like to see the state transition to an individualized approach to isolating or quarantining someone who is ill with coronavirus, rather than shutting down the entire state.
Inslee told 成人X站 Nights that as you get down to zero transmission, or as close as you can get, we need better testing and contact capability going forward so that the fatalities don’t increase again.
“We do not have even close to the testing capability that we need to be in that position,” Inslee said. “We have a serious shortage of things as fundamental as the swabs that are necessary to take the test and the virus transport medium which has to be enclosed, and the analytical capability.”
In order to get to where it needs to be, Inslee says the state will need dramatic increases across the board.
Holistically, it’s a strategy that acts as an alternative to stringent social distancing, something Gov. Inslee describes as more of a “blunt instrument” to fight the spread of the virus.
With increased testing and tracing, it could potentially allow the state to function as close to normal as possible, especially as the threat of a resurgence looms for as long as it will take to distribute a vaccine.
“That’s a place where we can then begin to reopen our businesses and get back to our social lives,” he noted.
In practice, Inslee likens it to “a fire brigade.”
“When your house is on fire, you call and you get service in minutes — we need to do the same thing for individuals [looking to get tested],” he outlined. “As we get down to as close to zero — or as close as we can get — we need to have that testing and contact tracing capability going forward so that the curve of fatalities would not come back up again.”
Despite current shortages within Washington’s current system, Inslee also points to some improvements being made.
That includes “tens of thousands of swabs coming in the next few days,” increased analytical capacity at UW’s labs, and a larger role from the Pentagon in running the supply chain.
“The cavalry is on the way, but we need it to get here as soon as possible,” he stated.
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