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Some states will continue to test for coronaviruses on asymptomatic individuals exposed to COVID-19, ignoring the surprising reversal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines this week when the federal agency said asymptomatic people exposed to the disease. viruses did not need to be tested.
Florida, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, California, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut joined health officials in expressing disapproval and concern over the sudden change in guidelines and said that they would continue to test those exposed to COVID-19 to help mitigate the spread. of the novel coronavirus.
CDC AMENDING GUIDELINES FOR TESTING CORONAVIRUS; ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE NO LONGER NEED TESTING
“Health experts recommend testing close contacts of individuals with COVID-19 to identify and prevent asymptomatic spread. This type of robust testing by our states has been a key factor in our success so far in flattening the curve in the tri-state area, ”the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut said in a joint statement. sent to Fox News.
“New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will continue to follow the advice of health experts to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19, and therefore will not change our guidelines that prioritize testing for this population,” the statement continued. .
Florida, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, California, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut said they would continue to test people exposed to COVID-19 to help mitigate the spread of the new coronavirus .
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“This 180-degree reversal of the COVID-19 testing guidelines is reckless, and not based on science, and has the potential to damage the institution’s reputation in the long term,” the governors of the three states added in the statement. .
Florida and California do not plan to follow the new recommendations, and Texas health officials told Fox News they share a similar sentiment.
“Current Texas guidelines recommend testing all close contacts of a confirmed case, as this allows for early identification of cases among people at higher risk of infection,” said a spokesperson for health services. Health Department of the Texas State Department in a statement to Fox. News. “There is no change expected at this point, but we are still revising our advice in light of new information about the disease and the situation in Texas to see if it needs updating.”
The CDC came under fire following the sudden turnaround earlier this week.
Asymptomatic people who have come into contact with infected people “do not necessarily need a test,” the federal agency now says. Yet, a few lines below, the CDC also notes that it is “important to realize that you can be infected and spread the virus, but you are feeling fine and having no symptoms.”
Previously, the CDC had recommended testing people who had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 to help mitigate the spread of the virus.
The change has led to speculation that the federal health agency has come under political pressure for change.
Indeed, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have questioned the reasoning behind the overturned decision.
The CDC and HHS have not shared their scientific rationale for this policy change, which replaces science-based public health guidelines with Presidential disinformation. This abrupt and ill-informed change threatens the robust testing regimes that our states have worked tirelessly to stand up with our federal partners, ”the joint statement read.
However, following the changes, federal officials were quick to deny accusations of political involvement in the decision.
“There is no directive from President Trump. This is based on evidence, ”said Adm. Dr Brett M. Giroir, who is Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS, during a live media briefing on Wednesday.
After the backlash, however, CDC director Dr Robert Redfield appeared to reverse the revisions, saying in a statement to Fox News that “testing may be considered for all close contacts of confirmed or probable COVID-19 patients. . “
CDC HAS NOT OBTAINED ORDERS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO CHANGE CORONAVIRUS TESTING GUIDELINES, SAYS HHS
That said, on Friday morning, the CDC site had not changed the new recommendations on its website.
Various health organizations, such as the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American Medical Association (AMA), call for immediate reversal of CDC coronavirus testing guidelines as the United States continues to have the most confirmed cases in the world.
“The evidence clearly indicated that asymptomatic people play an important role in transmissions. Identifying those infected with COVID-19 – even if they are asymptomatic – is essential to support the appropriate isolation and identification of contacts, to limit the spread and to provide a comprehensive, data-driven view of the community spread needed to inform effective public health responses, “IDSA said in a statement.
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