▲ Medical staff in New York, USA who are transferring patients to Corona 19
Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 5th (local time) that even though the US is screaming due to lack of equipment and manpower related to Corona19, even a screening swab of only 10 cents is produced and used by medical staff.
'Northwell Health', the largest medical corporation in New York State, has not been able to obtain a cotton swab of only 10 cents and is using it as a 3D printer.
Cotton swabs are essential equipment to collect samples from the suspect's neck and nose for a corona19 screening, but one major supplier is located in Lombardy, Italy, where Corona19 struck, and the supply is poor.
As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested a cotton swab supplier to replace the company, but some labs are looking for alternatives.
Northwell Health produces 2 ~ 3,000 cotton swabs per day with a 3D printer and supplies it with itself, and has also partnered with other organizations to increase production.
With this shortage of equipment and the number of samples to be tested, screening agencies directly seek volunteers, develop analytical reagents, and collaborate with various agencies to procure equipment.
"For inspection, we need four things: a place, people, equipment and reagents," said Professor Steve Miller of the University of California.
In addition to cotton swabs, equipment that is difficult to obtain is a chemical (VTM) that can preserve and transport a patient's sample.
On the 21st of last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a recipe for making VTMs on the Internet.
In addition, the FDA has urgently approved 24 diagnostic methods even if it differs from the existing methods, and it is reported that some labs are testing based on procurable reagents, which is also causing difficulty in corona19 diagnosis.
The University of New York plans to secure a list of 100 doctoral degree holders, and if there is a shortage of staff, it will be put into the Corona19 screening with minimal training.
But there are bound to be limits to this tinkering response, WSJ says.
In this regard, the Associated Press reported on Monday that the Donald Trump administration was unwilling to respond to a timely response in early January when the warning for Corona 19 was on in China.
According to a federal purchasing contract, the United States only started buying large quantities of equipment needed for medical personnel responding to Corona 19 at the forefront, including N95 masks and oxygen respirators, only in the middle of last month.
Hospitals in several states that were treating thousands of patients without protective clothing at the time required federal government to release strategic state stockpiles, and as of three months later, stockpiles are known to have run out of stock.
(Photo = Getty Image Korea)