U.S. Approves an At ‐​Home COVID-19 Test—But Four States Ban It

Walter OlsonLast week I published a piece observing that precautionary government regulation often undercuts the resilience the system is able to show when confronted with a new peril or emergency. The example I gave came from the many rules adopted in response to the menace of terrorism after 9/11, which turned out to make it harder to react when an entirely different kind of emergency — the current pandemic — placed sudden new stresses on areas from airport logistics to a banking system asked to handle an unplanned surge of small business loan requests.Once you notice this pattern of regulation and resiliency you begin seeing it every day. Yesterday, in a piece of truly welcome news, it was announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at ‐​home test for COVID-19, from laboratory giant LabCorp. At‐​home testing, with its potential for speed and convenience, holds great promise for making up lost time inthe area the feds most thoroughly botched in responding to the pandemic; a version of it also figures in Bill Gates ’ ambitious plans to combat the virus in Seattle and beyond. Early, limited supplies will initially be made available for two of the kinds of workers who need it most, health care staff and first responders, who will be able to obtain their results online with no need to go through a doctor ’s office.If you go to theLabCorp site promoting the new kit, however, you ’ll notice a&nbs...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs