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Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
Thu May 7, 2020, 05:25 PM May 2020

'This is a game changer:' Gov. Mills to expand coronavirus testing in Maine

Source: WGME

"Governor Janet Mills announced Thursday that the state has secured a major expansion of COVID-19 testing for Maine. She said the state has partnered with Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. to purchase enough of the company’s recently authorized COVID-19 testing kits to more than triple the state’s testing capacity. This will soon allow anyone in Maine suspected of having COVID-19 to receive a test. Mills said they are buying enough of these test kits to run at least 5,000 tests per week for the foreseeable future."

Read more: https://wgme.com/news/coronavirus/gov-mills-to-expand-coronavirus-testing-in-maine



Some good news in Maine. Nice also that the state is supporting a Maine business for this.
17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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'This is a game changer:' Gov. Mills to expand coronavirus testing in Maine (Original Post) Zing Zing Zingbah May 2020 OP
Kudos to Governor Mills and Idexx. Thank you. Evolve Dammit May 2020 #1
Motherfucker Trump will probably have the test kits they produce confiscated. Texin May 2020 #2
Susie Collins... sheshe2 May 2020 #4
I'll head them off at the pass. GreenPartyVoter May 2020 #5
THANK YOU!!!!! sheshe2 May 2020 #6
You might let just one small box of Covid-contaminated swabs get through. Texin May 2020 #17
...will be concerned if the Feds steal the tests. LastLiberal in PalmSprings May 2020 #14
This is great news. CaptYossarian May 2020 #3
First of all matt819 May 2020 #7
That's expanded from what it currently is. Zing Zing Zingbah May 2020 #12
If I never read or hear the words "game changer" again, that would be a good thing. captain jack May 2020 #8
Not my words. Zing Zing Zingbah May 2020 #13
I've looked up Idexx. They're not in the COVID-19 test production side of things. There's no ancianita May 2020 #9
It's better, but no where near enough. patphil May 2020 #10
We'll see about that 'game changer' claim. I don't have much trust in any GA production company. ancianita May 2020 #11
Nothing about tracing and tracking soryang May 2020 #15
Maine is one of the states.. stillcool May 2020 #16

Texin

(2,585 posts)
17. You might let just one small box of Covid-contaminated swabs get through.
Fri May 8, 2020, 10:11 AM
May 2020

You know, the one marked "His Royal Highass".

matt819

(10,749 posts)
7. First of all
Thu May 7, 2020, 05:47 PM
May 2020

There are no game changers. There are small steps, forward and back.

Also, if the prerequisite is having symptoms or being a health care worker, this is neither a step forward or backward. It’s just a bit of news.

I gave no symptoms. Am I infected? No one seems to care all that much.

Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
12. That's expanded from what it currently is.
Thu May 7, 2020, 07:10 PM
May 2020

This what it has been up to now.

At least one of the following is present, potentially attributable to a respiratory viral illness:
Fever
Sore Throat
Cough
Shortness of Breath
Muscle Aches

And at least one of the following:
Is a patient in the hospital
Emergency department patient requiring admission
High risk patients*
Health care workers and first responders

*High Risk is defined as:
Age ? 60
Severe chronic lung disease (e.g. asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, COPD, etc.)
Severe heart disease
Immunocompromised (those with weakened immune systems)
On immunocompromising medications (e.g. prednisone, chemotherapy, mycophenolate, cyclosporine, azathioprine, tacrolimus, TNF inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, etc.)
Living in a congregate setting (e.g. long-term care facilities, group homes, assisted living facilities, jails, shelters, etc.)

captain jack

(316 posts)
8. If I never read or hear the words "game changer" again, that would be a good thing.
Thu May 7, 2020, 06:09 PM
May 2020

I assume FEMA has already been dispatched to intercept these, in the interest of....?

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
9. I've looked up Idexx. They're not in the COVID-19 test production side of things. There's no
Thu May 7, 2020, 06:12 PM
May 2020

evidence that the Westbrook animal health company's subsidiary, Opti Medical Systems of Roswell, GA, has not been influenced by the governor's corona politics, either.

The link to that report is a paywall. Not surprised.

Here's Opti Systems' own site page.

https://www.optimedical.com

Good luck, Governor Mills.

patphil

(6,028 posts)
10. It's better, but no where near enough.
Thu May 7, 2020, 06:17 PM
May 2020

That's about 700 per day in a state with 1.33 million people.
5000 a week is only 260,000 in 1 year. Not even enough to cover health care workers and first responders who need to be tested on a regular basis.

They need to do at least 10 times that number.

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
11. We'll see about that 'game changer' claim. I don't have much trust in any GA production company.
Thu May 7, 2020, 06:42 PM
May 2020

Hope I'm wrong and Gov Mills is right.

The whole thing feels like some slick corporate lab move.

soryang

(3,299 posts)
15. Nothing about tracing and tracking
Thu May 7, 2020, 07:39 PM
May 2020

testing alone doesn't change much in terms of the spread of the virus unless its part of a trace and track plan.

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