California suspends multi-million dollar test expansion as cases spike

In April, Governor Gavin Newsom of California launched a multi-million dollar state initiative to test the COVID-19 on least-accessed people and places, such as rural towns and neighborhoods in disadvantaged cities. It was conducted.

California is now halting expansion and quoting costs, despite the state catching up with record new surges in hospitalization and double-digit increases in hospitalization.

The state will no longer fund new test sites despite the county’s request for additional assistance. We also closed some locations and moved to another. According to about 24 interviews with county public health officials, it also threatens to pull tests from unused sites.

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There were winners and losers early on. El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, lost its single-spring town test site in June because it couldn’t fill enough reservations, but Fresno County was pulled from elsewhere and Health Officer Rais Vohra, MD said

Still, San Mateo County called for a second state-funded test site three times to address the test gap in the neighborhoods of blacks and farm workers, but “I won’t repeat,” said the county. Chief Justin Mates said. So the county converted its only state site into a roving test unit.

“Stocks are certainly a concern for us,” Mates said. “If you want to reach places like Latino resident or East Palo Alto, you really need help to test the access.” Diversity whose population is mainly Latino, African American and Asia Pacific Islander Cities.

California has committed up to $132 million in a deal with two private COVID-19 testing companies, Verily Life Sciences and OptimServe, with Newsom administrators sayingDesert test.. The expansion dramatically increased the number of tests across the state, from 16,000 tests per day in April to 105,000 on Monday.

Testing is also available at county-financed locations, private pharmacies, hospitals, and community clinics.

State Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Gurley has confirmed that the state has removed sites from undercounter counties, blocking money to new locations.

“We want to move all our assets and resources, especially where they are scarce, to where they are most needed,” Ghaly said. “Keeping spending where resources aren’t used is neither wise nor wise.”

Newsom himself has expressed concern about price tags given the “unprecedented” lack of budget. “There are significant costs associated with testing,” he said in late June.

The Newtham administration has confirmed that the state wants the county to fill at least 80% of the test slots at each location. Also, if the test falls below 50% for more than a few days, the county will be warned that the site may be transferred to another location.

The county claims there are public health benefits to keeping low-performing areas open. Across the state, they are fighting to save state-sponsored sites, but they are overwhelmed by the rise in coronavirus cases, primarily related to rallying.

“It’s a quick way to identify where the virus is and whether there are hotspots,” said Olivia Cassily, MD, a health official in Sacramento County, to celebrate and celebrate with family and friends. The gatherings used as fuel are increasing the infection rate. ..

Contracosta County was at risk of losing its state-owned site until the number of tests declined in June and proved to be able to keep close to 80% of its capacity to hold appointments, said its medical practitioner Krisphal. Dr. Nitano said.

An email from the State Testing Task Force warned that Riverside County would be “moved to another county” on June 16 if state-owned sites north of Temecula did not undergo more than 50% testing. It was The state told Mendocino County that some rural residents could lose the only free test available within a two-hour drive if they didn’t raise the funds.

Alameda County was very dissatisfied with state requirements and implemented its own test expansion.

“We have noticed that we cannot be state-dependent,” said Dr. Joselin Freeman Garrick, a doctor in the emergency department of the Highland Hospital in Auckland, who heads the County’s Inspection Task Force.

El Dorado County, which has lost its place, has maintained a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases so far. “We can’t afford to replace the site,” Carla Hus, a county spokeswoman, said, “but it will succeed.”

Gurley said the state is working with counties at risk of losing sites to give them the opportunity to fill test slots. State officials did not say how many counties lost the site, but test numbers are starting to recover as new infections soar. The list of counties at risk of losing the site has decreased from about 12 in early June to last week’s number.

Public health experts focus on test numbers, not proper tests in the Black and Latino neighborhoods, to help communities already facing huge barriers to health care such as racism and poverty. He states that there is a risk of giving up.

“Ignoring these communities will continue to grow as we see them today,” said Tony Iton, a former Alameda County chief health officer and now senior vice president of the California Foundation. We are working with the county to expand testing in underserved areas.

Persistent socio-economic barriers also make it difficult to obtain and maintain numerical tests. For example, people who want to take tests on state sites often need Internet access and email addresses. Most are drive-through and require access to the vehicle.

Many low-income individuals may not be able to meet these requirements, and undocumented immigrants could expose them to immigration authorities by providing personal information for examination. I’m concerned program.

“We can take all the tests we need, but if people are afraid to come and take the tests, that’s no good,” he said.

Mimi Hall, chairman of the California Health Care Association, said the state’s contract to fund the test site was extended this month and will expire on August 31, and the authorities will continue to fund the state. I have not told the county whether to continue. Director of Public Health in Santa Cruz County.

The county cannot afford to keep the site running, according to Hall, who is in the state’s test task force.

“If you don’t know how long you can keep them, it’s difficult to plan,” Hall said.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorial independent program of Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation It has nothing to do with Kaiser Permanente.

this KHN First published story California Health Line, Services California Healthcare Foundation..