The CDC’s Abrupt Changes to Its COVID-19 Testing Guidelines Sow Confusion

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Once again, state and local officials have to make pandemic calls without strong leadership from the federal government.

for at least two weeks.) By testing only symptomatic people, the U.S. would have no hope of understanding the true impact of community spread. It would also majorly hinder efforts by contact tracers, who typically call up all contacts of an infected person to encourage them to get tested, so that chains of infection can be uncovered and then broken.that the decision to change these standards was made at an Aug.

On Thursday, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope for public health experts when CDC Director Robert Redfield said in a statement to some news agencies that “testing may be considered for all close contacts of confirmed or probable Covid-19 patients.” The New York Times initiallythat statement as Redfield “walk[ing] back” the new CDC guidelines, but the CDC’s website was not changed.

For a statement intended as a clarification, Redfield’s words only add to the confusion. Consistent with the federal government’s response throughout the pandemic, these guidelines leave it to local and state officials to make the call, rather than organizing a nationwide response. The revised guidelines leave enough wiggle room in their interpretation to allow cities, states, or organizations that want to ramp down testing to do so, even if it flies in the face of scientific consensus.

 

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We need federal leadership and that's not potential coming for months!

I wish for intelligent, clear and forceful guidance from the Federal gov't, but that means an entirely new, competent administration.

Natashaicwhatud The CDC is now a political arm of Trump failed state and no longer to be trusted.

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