It appears coronavirus rapid testing in nursing homes is not-so-rapid after all.
A new study released by JAMA Internal Medicine showed that “only a small fraction” of nursing homes were able obtain COVID-19 testing results for staff or residents within the recommended surveillance guideline of less than 24 hours.
Deployment of point of care antigen rapid testing machines and kits by federal officials in mid-August marginally improved testing results, but most facilities (83 percent overall) were unable to achieve testing “turnaround times of less than 1 day.”
“This report underscores the need for nursing homes to secure rapid testing machines that deliver faster results that are highly reliable,” said Brian Lee, Families for Better Care’s executive director. “Molecular point of care rapid testing is that testing solution.”
The White House Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes echoed Families for Better Care’s assessment, calling for better coordination and delivery of molecular rapid testing to all of the nation’s nursing homes starting October 1, 2020.
Thus far, that hasn’t happened.
For more information about Families for Better Care’s FREE rapid testing solution, click here.
