Texas Labs Swamped

[Rita]

Here is an article from our local paper:

 

http://www.click2houston.com/health/19353470/detail.html

 

I seems the lab in Austin has only one machine to test the swabs. Wednesday they were swamped with almost 2,500 swabs from throughout the state and the machine was overwhelmed. So far, they have only tested 181 swabs! They are getting 3 more machines however my concern is this..

 

It is taking several days to get the results back due to the backlog, so by the time the dr. gets the results back it is too late for the Tamiflu to be used! Secondly, when they say there are x number of cases of the swine flu, I have to wonder how many of the other aprox. 2,300 swabs will test positive and how much worse is the problem that isn't reported because the testing is taking so long???

[Cat]

Well, it's probably not really a problem...

 

You see, back when the government gave money to the states (?) to help them stockpile Tamiflu in case of a Pandemic, apparently many of the states decided that it was silly to stockpile a drug that expires eventually, so many didn't. Government recommendation was to keep enough on hand to give to 25% of a state's population.

 

Only 22 of 51 (District of Columbia included as one) did that.

 

http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34594

 

No test in time - no Tamiflu that may not be there anyway. Don't government workers, medical workers, and first-responders like EMTs and Firemen get them first? Could that be 25% of the population?

 

Your tax dollars at work...