Slowly but steady, China strives to make widespread virus testing the new normal

[snoop1130]

Slowly but steady, China strives to make widespread virus testing the new normal

By Brenda Goh, Min Zhang

 

FILE PHOTO: People wear protective during evening rush hour following the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Beijing, China May 12, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

 

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing resident Wang Yukun was happy to comply in April when the construction firm he works for told him he’d need to take a test for the novel coronavirus before he could come back to work, even though he was at low risk of having the disease.

 

“My company arranged it and covered the test fee. The process was less time-consuming than I imagined,” he said, recalling how he got his negative result the next day. “I think everyone should be tested as a matter of personal health.”

 

While coronavirus tests can be difficult to obtain in many countries, China is rapidly expanding their availability and affordability, enabling the masses - not just frontline workers, people from hard-hit areas or the sick - to get tested.

 

China is able to produce 5 million test kits a day, the country’s industry ministry said last month.

 

While China has not tallied how many daily tests are being carried out nationally, its capacity is far greater than other countries including the United States, which has conducted around 300,000 tests daily on average in recent days, according to the non-profit COVID Tracking Project.

 

Even South Korea and Germany, hailed for tested widely, are currently able to conduct up to 30,000 and 120,000 tests a day, respectively.

 

Major Chinese cities and provinces have published lists of hundreds of hospitals and clinics now authorised to perform tests and are expanding laboratory capabilities to allow people to obtain their nucleic acid test results in a few hours.

 

Some local governments have added the tests to basic medical insurance schemes, helping to cover costs which range from 60-270 yuan ($8.50-$38).

 

The easy access has helped firms, schools and entertainment providers to reopen after widespread testing. Hosts of popular Chinese singing competition, Singer 2020, invited 251 audience members to record a live show last month after testing them.

 

It is also laying the groundwork for mass testing efforts, should the need arise.

 

Wuhan, the epicentre of China’s coronavirus outbreak, plans to conduct nucleic acid testing across the city of 11 million after a cluster of new infections emerged, sources said.

 

TESTING UNEVEN, VOLUNTARY

 

China began pushing for widespread testing in April as concerns about the potential asymptomatic patients spreading the virus rose.

 

Since April 13, each Chinese province has been required to provide daily reports on their virus testing efforts, and a stringent nationwide regime of screening, testing and quarantine has seen case numbers fall sharply since peaking in mid-February.

 

Even so, China has refrained from making testing mandatory for all people. Daily, country-wide testing data is not published, and the ramp up of testing capability has been uneven.

 

Hubei, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Heilongjiang, which have a combined population of over 267 million, are together able to conduct at least 321,000 tests a day, according to statements they made in April and May.

 

Beijing has 67 labs capable of processing 48,000 tests a day. But other less well-off provinces including Yunnan and Guangxi are playing catch-up, opening new labs in recent weeks.

 

And with testing compulsory only for certain categories of people, decisions are mainly left to companies or individuals.

 

A source from a Hunan-based state-owned steel mill that employs around 80 people said they were initially asked to take a test only if they lived near a confirmed case. However, colleagues who travel outside the province are now asked to take a test before they return to the office.

 

Still, everyone who wants to get tested is being encouraged to do so. Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com allow people to book appointments via their widely used platforms, and companies often waive the fees for workers.

 

One taxi company based in Guangzhou sent all 14,000 of its drivers for tests at the request of the government.

 

“This given to the drivers for free,” said Kuang Yali, head of Guangzhou Baiyun Car Rental Group’s publicity department. “This is to give the drivers assurance, and to also put passengers at ease.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-13

 

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[blazes]

Too bad the Chinese were not as efficient as this when it came to warning the world of the dangers of the Wuhan Covid-19 virus.

 

Their criminal negligence confused poor old Dr Fauci, who reassured (and misled) Americans in January that there was nothing particularly dangerous about this virus.

[bodga]

Vile, and  today the  victim  had  no  virus when tested ,  went back  to  work and on  the  way  home  picked  it up off another person or  something  he/she touched, then he had no symptoms and carried on at  work infecting everyone... how does it help anything?

[bodga]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

to also put passengers at ease.”

 

who  have  also  been tested daily? everyday?

[Tug]

It’s a step in the correct direction that and vigorous contact tracing 

[Ventenio]

it's not FREE ... someone's paying.  Which means someone is getting very, very, very, very rich.

 

Huh, you want me to unleash a virus so we make TRILLIONS on the testing?  But .... ah..... trillions, huh?

 

you think the world will play along?  oh, we will pay some of them.

 

hey, we got the lock down and those jokers at the WHO helped nicely by allowing it to spread.

 

don't worry sheep, the world created something just to make you give more money and freedom away....and the sheep happily play along.  

[Eric Loh]

 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

China strives to make widespread virus testing the new normal

Trump can learn something from this. 

[dpcjsr]

If China is doing this then it should be avoided by any nation pretending to be free. The test show way too many false positives leading to many cases where a person without the virus is wrongly suspected of having the virus. How convenient for rounding up the deplorables (mixing metaphors). Sorry citizen you have the virus, lol, so we must remove you from your home. 

 

DO NOT TRUST THE CCP!

 

[Isaan sailor]

Remember, dissenters in China disappear. And for Chinese expat dissenters, their families in China disappear.

And when the China cheerleaders demand evidence...just google: Missing Chinese Dissenters, for the disappeared...

Edited May 14, 2020 by Isaan sailor

[Coremouse]

1 hour ago, Isaan sailor said:

Remember, dissenters in China disappear. And for Chinese expat dissenters, their families in China disappear.

And when the China cheerleaders demand evidence...just google: Missing Chinese Dissenters, for the disappeared...

I myself was what called "Dingzihu" & same time being a transgender activist & also Falun Dafa practitioner when I was young. I've been fighting government/police for many years, been through hell, have contact with many "political dissendents", and me still alive well and every single of them living normal activist life just fine. Disappearing in your imagination? 

 

The worst cases are not worse than what happened to Nathan Rich in the States. It's not like fanatics, thugs, asylum, mass hysteria are special to China. Don't let minority get bullied and 'disappear' is a global problem. In fact China has generally better security and Chinese police( except swat ) are NOT permitted to wield gun, thus will not generate controversial cases of police shooting African American and get away with it.

 

Yes Chinese police, especially in poorer, rural town are bunch of mafia scum sometimes drunk & harass people, but they're lazy enough to not care much about Politic. Infact most Chinese are extremely practical people care more Daily Life than S-hole politics. And public service in big developed city are keep improving, last time I been back home got dispute with a local department, reported via open administrative number, and was recieved very friendly resolved in Minutes

Edited May 14, 2020 by Coremouse

[Coremouse]

China currently is planning test every single resident in Wuhan, some ~11 miilion, in 10 days window. Whether it's just a stunt or effective measure is still to be seen, but if any country can pull such a massive test done & well orgnized, it'll be China

 

We'll also get accurate rep. number, cfr etc. as no other country has done 100% test in a large region of populace. Of course some cold wars heads would always scream 'Fake news!'

[batata]

3 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

 

Trump can learn something from this. 

you kidding, right? 555

[Traubert]

19 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

I myself was what called "Dingzihu" & same time being a transgender activist & also Falun Dafa practitioner when I was young. I've been fighting government/police for many years, been through hell, have contact with many "political dissendents", and me still alive well and every single of them living normal activist life just fine. Disappearing in your imagination? 

 

The worst cases are not worse than what happened to Nathan Rich in the States. It's not like fanatics, thugs, asylum, mass hysteria are special to China. Don't let minority get bullied and 'disappear' is a global problem. In fact China has generally better security and Chinese police( except swat ) are NOT permitted to wield gun, thus will not generate controversial cases of police shooting African American and get away with it.

 

Yes Chinese police, especially in poorer, rural town are bunch of mafia scum sometimes drunk & harass people, but they're lazy enough to not care much about Politic. Infact most Chinese are extremely practical people care more Daily Life than S-hole politics. And public service in big developed city are keep improving, last time I been back home got dispute with a local department, reported via open administrative number, and was recieved very friendly resolved in Minutes

Oh don't spoil their fun!!!!

 

Or mine. I like to read the uninformed Western media view they regurgitate every day. Can't you at least say you woke up and were missing a kidney? ????

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, batata said:

you kidding, right? 555

No actually. Just think the big spike of approval if he announced that US will be doing widespread testing for no or same amount as the Chinese and he will test all the citizens in all those states that have high numbers of infections and deaths. But there again, who will believe him. 

[rhodie]

29 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

I myself was what called "Dingzihu" & same time being a transgender activist & also Falun Dafa practitioner when I was young. I've been fighting government/police for many years, been through hell, have contact with many "political dissendents", and me still alive well and every single of them living normal activist life just fine. Disappearing in your imagination? 

 

The worst cases are not worse than what happened to Nathan Rich in the States. It's not like fanatics, thugs, asylum, mass hysteria are special to China. Don't let minority get bullied and 'disappear' is a global problem. In fact China has generally better security and Chinese police( except swat ) are NOT permitted to wield gun, thus will not generate controversial cases of police shooting African American and get away with it.

 

Yes Chinese police, especially in poorer, rural town are bunch of mafia scum sometimes drunk & harass people, but they're lazy enough to not care much about Politic. Infact most Chinese are extremely practical people care more Daily Life than S-hole politics. And public service in big developed city are keep improving, last time I been back home got dispute with a local department, reported via open administrative number, and was recieved very friendly resolved in Minutes

You are living in a dream world if you think there is less transparency in the west than there is in China. Good luck with that. 

[Isaan sailor]

33 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

The worst cases are not worse than what happened to Nathan Rich in the States.

 

Yeah, Nathan Rich had the goods on Hillary’s emails—so someone wasted him.

 

So tell me,  what happened to Ren Zhiqiang?

[batata]

7 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

No actually. Just think the big spike of approval if he announced that US will be doing widespread testing for no or same amount as the Chinese and he will test all the citizens in all those states that have high numbers of infections and deaths. But there again, who will believe him. 

Trump will never follow any other country decisions, regardless how well they are doing, he thinks he knows it all and only uses other countries  (Fake News/misleading quotes) to  compare how great/tremendously well the US is doing, his  claim lately is the US as #1 in the world with regards to testing whilst rated low or very low compared to other countries

[Coremouse]

15 minutes ago, rhodie said:

You are living in a dream world if you think there is less transparency in the west than there is in China. Good luck with that. 

You're living in less than a dream world if you think the world as cold war era, and Chinese people all live in hell, under suppression, would begging for Western military intervention, wow, even as a headache to the local government myself, I don't think we recieved more gabbage news than the POTUS & rightwing shouted 'Fake news!' 'Fake MSM' and blame everything to the left from bad movies to ugly first born. 

 

Let me live in my 'dream world' and stay out of your cold war mindset. Tell me, how many years you live in China and actually stand against government/police like me does? 

[rhodie]

1 minute ago, Coremouse said:

You're living in less than a dream world if you think the world as cold war era, and Chinese people all live in hell, under suppression, would begging for Western military intervention, wow, even as a headache to the local government myself, I don't think we recieved more gabbage news than the POTUS & rightwing shouted 'Fake news!' 'Fake MSM' and blame everything to the left from bad movies to ugly first born. 

 

Let me live in my 'dream world' and stay out of your cold war mindset. Tell me, how many years you live in China and actually stand against government/police like me does? 

I have traveled to China many times. I have friends who have been deported. They were lucky that they didn't disappear. China has a mission to take over the world. Don't think they will stop with Hong Kong and Taiwan. But keep smoking that stuff you're on.

There is a lot of fake news everywhere, but at least it can be called out in the west. Not so much China.

[Coremouse]

16 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

Yeah, Nathan Rich had the goods on Hillary’s emails—so someone wasted him.

 

So tell me,  what happened to Ren Zhiqiang?

Thanks but I careless a corrupt, rich, real estate man who ridicule poor people every day, for years. 

 

How many actual, ordinary Chinese people do you met? How many actuall activists stand against government do you met? You know in our group we despise those famous 'activists' who just show off to get foreign political funding, and do nothing beneficial to the community. Also a certain foreign government only provides funding/asylum for rich defect CCP officials, con artists who could undermine China, but pay no attention to help any real human rights issue.

[Coremouse]

26 minutes ago, rhodie said:

I have traveled to China many times. I have friends who have been deported. They were lucky that they didn't disappear. China has a mission to take over the world. Don't think they will stop with Hong Kong and Taiwan. But keep smoking that stuff you're on.

There is a lot of fake news everywhere, but at least it can be called out in the west. Not so much China.

"China has a mission to take over the world. " input smearing & sacred propaganda here plz.

 

Wow. Someone really believe that. What China love is make money, and they know they can only excel in peaceful competition, them military spending though large is quite miniscule compares to #1 firearms exporter in the world, who wastes trillion of tax for nuclear carrier, nuclear arsenal, stealth fighter, etc.( And actually shooting people all over the globe, has a record supported banana company depose elected leader with dictatorship, for corporate profit. )

 

Hong Kong is Chinese territory since ancient time was leased( at gunpoint ), read some basic history before you make strange comment. I care less about Taiwan( Taiwanese industry are exactly same as China, cheap and affordable, which I as a broken cheapskate very much appreciate ). Remind you Taiwan also claims China as their rightful territory , written in consituition and recieved much economic benefits & help from China than the US ally. In early 2000s Fujian Chinese people supplied clean water to Taiwan controlled isles while Fujian itself was short on water supply. I have many Taiwanese friends and worked in Taiwanese company, some Taiwan friends voluntarily go to Chinese Embassy for paperwork because their rep. Office before was a rude nepotic mess.

Edited May 14, 2020 by Coremouse

[rhodie]

12 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

Thanks but I careless a corrupt, rich, real estate man who ridicule poor people every day, for years. 

 

How many actual, ordinary Chinese people do you met? How many actuall activists stand against government do you met? You know in our group we despise those famous 'activists' who just show off to get foreign political funding, and do nothing beneficial to the community. Also a certain foreign government only provides funding/asylum for rich defect CCP officials, con artists who could undermine China, but pay no attention to help any real human rights issue.

You talk about being an activist yet you are defending a dictatorship. You just don't add up.

 

My ex's parents are retired army engineers. The mother is involved with Falun Gong. They are constantly visited by the authorities to remind them they are being watched.

[rhodie]

3 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

"China has a mission to take over the world. " input smearing & sacred propaganda here plz.

 

Wow. Someone really believe that. What China love is make money, and they know they can only excel in peaceful competition, them military spending though large is quite miniscule compares to #1 firearms exporter in the world, who wastes trillion of tax for nuclear carrier, nuclear arsenal, stealth fighter, etc. 

 

Hong Kong is Chinese territory since ancient time, read some basic history before you make strange comment. I care less about Taiwan( Taiwanese industry are exactly same as China, cheap and affordable, which I as a broken cheapskate very much appreciate ). Remind you Taiwan also claims China as their rightful territory , written in consituition and recieved much economic benefits & help from China than the US ally. In early 2000s Fujian Chinese people supplied clean water to Taiwan controlled isles while Fujian itself was short on water supply. I have many Taiwanese friends and worked in Taiwanese company, some Taiwan friends voluntarily go to Chinese Embassy for paperwork because their rep. Office before was a rude nepotic mess.

OK, I get it now. You are an activist for the Chinese Govt. not against them. Makes sense now. Taiwan is accepted as not being part of China by every country except China and those countries that China blackmails. I have many Taiwanese friends too. They sing a very different tune to your Taiwanese friends.

So you think China are a fair world law abiding country? Haha. They would have annexed all the islands in the South China Sea by now if there was no opposition.

 

[Eric Loh]

25 minutes ago, rhodie said:

I have traveled to China many times. I have friends who have been deported. They were lucky that they didn't disappear. China has a mission to take over the world. Don't think they will stop with Hong Kong and Taiwan. But keep smoking that stuff you're on.

There is a lot of fake news everywhere, but at least it can be called out in the west. Not so much China.

Just a few facts for your indulgence. Hong Kong was leased to the British for 100 years. Leased expired in 1997. There was no take over. Taiwan was handed back to China by the Japanese in 1945 and occupied by the Republican military when they lost the civil war. It independent is still disputed. Not taken over. As for China intention to take over the world, maybe soft power but certainly not militarily. They only got 1 aircraft carrier. China still has transparency issues. Every countries in the world have laws on fake news. US is more liberal and Trump has taken this to the limit. 

[Isaan sailor]

53 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

Thanks but I careless a corrupt, rich, real estate man who ridicule poor people every day, for years. 

 

How many actual, ordinary Chinese people do you met? How many actuall activists stand against government do you met? You know in our group we despise those famous 'activists' who just show off to get foreign political funding, and do nothing beneficial to the community. Also a certain foreign government only provides funding/asylum for rich defect CCP officials, con artists who could undermine China, but pay no attention to help any real human rights issue.

When have you protested against heavy-handed CCP attempts to dominate Hong Kong?

And how about protesting against CCP threats to Taiwan?

Or what have you done to discourage the Chinese militarization of Spratley Islands?

Or their illegal South China Sea claims?

Or sucking the water out of Mekong with your dams?

[yellowboat]

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Trump can learn something from this. 

Biden too could learn something if the virus hasn't already slipped his mind.  The accuracy of the tests are still unknown.  

[ChouDoufu]

2 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Yeah, Nathan Rich had the goods on Hillary’s emails—so someone wasted him.

 

So tell me,  what happened to Ren Zhiqiang?

 

seth.  his name was seth rich.

 

nathan rich is a former scientologist and author.  also seen on youtube debunking anti-china bias.

[Eric Loh]

24 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Biden too could learn something if the virus hasn't already slipped his mind.  The accuracy of the tests are still unknown.  

Unfortunately no test is 100% accurate. Although tests can perform well in ideal laboratory conditions, in real life lots of other factors affect accuracy including the timing of the test, how the swab was taken, and the handling of the specimen. Even vaccine may not be 100%. Still these are the best we got to manage the pandemic and get back our lives. 

 

I think an affordable widespread testing is the only chance for the people to be confident to resume their normal lives. A vaccine may be some time away. We may have to live with covid like other dangerous viruses still lurking. 

 

The pandemic is not going away soon and lots of time to remind the next administration to consider widespread testing if they want the economy to fully recover. 

 

[ChouDoufu]

6 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Unfortunately no test is 100% accurate. Although tests can perform well in ideal laboratory conditions, in real life lots of other factors affect accuracy including the timing of the test, how the swab was taken, and the handling of the specimen. Even vaccine may not be 100%. Still these are the best we got to manage the pandemic and get back our lives. 

 

I think an affordable widespread testing is the only chance for the people to be confident to resume their normal lives. A vaccine may be some time away. We may have to live with covid like other dangerous viruses still lurking. 

 

The pandemic is not going away soon and lots of time to remind the next administration to consider widespread testing if they want the economy to fully recover. 

 

but which tests?

 

i read (y'all can google actual numbers) there were several hundred tests waiting for fda approval.  over one hundred are already in use, but only a dozen or so were actually approved.

 

the abbott test that just got emergency approval is highly suspect:

 

 

Accuracy of rapid coronavirus test called into question by NYU study

Researchers found that the 15-minute rapid test did not spot many infections caught by Cepheid's Xpert Xpress PCR test.

 

A rapid coronavirus test used to screen White House staff and visitors may miss up to half of infections detected by other tests on the market, according to preliminary research from New York University.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/13/rapid-coronavirus-test-accuracy-nyu-study-256351

[Eric Loh]

29 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

but which tests?

 

i read (y'all can google actual numbers) there were several hundred tests waiting for fda approval.  over one hundred are already in use, but only a dozen or so were actually approved.

 

the abbott test that just got emergency approval is highly suspect:

 

 

Accuracy of rapid coronavirus test called into question by NYU study

Researchers found that the 15-minute rapid test did not spot many infections caught by Cepheid's Xpert Xpress PCR test.

 

A rapid coronavirus test used to screen White House staff and visitors may miss up to half of infections detected by other tests on the market, according to preliminary research from New York University.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/13/rapid-coronavirus-test-accuracy-nyu-study-256351

The gold standard seem to be the RT-PCR test but highly expensive. It got emergency FDA approval. Boris Johnson swore that the Roche test is highly accurate. Then there are cheap but inaccurate tests. Test and re-test seem the logical thinking at the moment. I think that creative use of currently available cheap and quick tests even if they are questionable can go a long way to reaching adequate levels of accuracy, at least until the gold standard tests can be developed.