As global coronavirus cases pass 24 million, US baffles experts with testing change
- New CDC guidance says those exposed to infected people don’t have to get tested if they don’t feel sick
- Scientist say advice runs counter to steps needed to control pandemic, since many cases are asymptomatic
US health officials sparked criticism and confusion after posting guidelines on coronavirus testing from the White House task force that run counter to what scientists say is necessary to control the pandemic, even as the number of global Covid-19 cases passed 24 million, with more than 5.8 million in the US alone.
The new guidance says it is not necessary for people who do not feel sick but have been in close contact with infected people to get tested. It was posted earlier this week on the website of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC previously had advised local health departments to test people who have been within six feet (two metres) of an infected person for more than 15 minutes. But on Monday, a CDC testing overview page was changed to say that testing is no longer recommended for symptomless people who were in close contact situations.
There was a caveat, however. Testing may be recommended for those with health problems that make them more likely to suffer severe illness, or if their doctor or local state officials advise they get tested.
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Across the country, public health experts called the change bizarre. They noted that testing contacts of infected people is a core element of public health efforts to keep outbreaks in check, and that a large percentage of infected people – the CDC has said as many as 40 per cent – exhibit no symptoms.