Politico

Covid-19 testing is a mess in Texas.



By DAN GOLDBERG

08/13/2020 07:32 PM EDT


More than one-in-five Texans who are tested for coronavirus are positive, the worst statewide rate in the country. But the number of people getting tests has plummeted in the last two weeks, which could understate how widespread the virus really is as schools reopen and hospitalizations and deaths remain near record highs.

That's left Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in a tough spot, forced to make decisions about reopening his state based on incomplete and possibly faulty data.

Abbott on Thursday said he's instructed his administration to figure out which numbers can be trusted, why positive tests have doubled this month and what the trends could signal as Labor Day approaches and students start filling classrooms.

“We’re going to have a data team dig deep into it to find exactly what the reason is,” Abbott said.

Public health experts say a number of factors may have depressed demand for tests, including long wait times and changing rules for who is eligible and the effects of Tropical Storm Hanna, which battered the southern part of the state late last month and disrupted services near the border with Mexico.

But the biggest reason may be an apparent false sense of security. The drop off in testing coincides with a decline in infections after Abbott ordered people to wear masks, reimposed seating limits in restaurants and closed down bars again. That worries disease trackers who suspect any positive news will breed complacency and make people willing to ignore the possibility they could be infected without showing symptoms. Without widespread testing, new Covid spikes could pop up and go unnoticed.

Abbott on Thursday stressed the virus is still circulating in every corner of the state.

“If people let their guard down, if people stop using safe practices, you will see an increase in Covid-19 again,” he said.

Texas’s drop in testing is part of a larger nationwide trend that’s seen the average number of coronavirus tests fall from more than 800,000 a day in late July to roughly 700,000 over the last week.

Florida, another hard hit state, has seen a similar decline in testing due in part to disruption from Tropical Storm Isaias. A backlog at a testing lab overnight more than tripled Miami-Dade County’s running average of new cases.
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Remember when Trump said slow the testing down?

The golden shower president evidently is succeeding.

Appears the Texas Loons are in full agreement with you.

(I still think we are better off than Florida with their Republican idiot for a governor.)

cute ... with 1/4 the death rate of NYS ... you do understand that highly populated states would always have a higher number?

FURTHER, unlike other States, Texas has four (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin) cities with over 1M population, and if we are generous, 5, to include Fort Worth at 0.92M ..

Oddly, all 5 of those are Blue


and yet, regardless of voter tendencies, mortality rate, roughly 2%, is OUTSTANDING in the US...

Ya'll might look a bit further than raw numbers...

I acknowledge that I am, understandably, proud of being a Texan, and proud of Texas

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
I acknowledge that I am, understandably, proud of being a Texan, and proud of Texas

Your assessment in on-target, regardless.

quote:

roughly 2%, is OUTS

THAT OR THE NATIONAL 3,7 % IS NOT GOOD ODDS,

THAT 2% IS 20 TIMES DEATH RATE OF THE FLU....

AND NOW WITH COMPANIES SAYING THEY CAN DO 2-3 DOLLAR HOME TESTS ,

FOR COVID AND FLU, BUT THE BASTARDS AREN'T, NOW THE

FLU ODDS ARE NO GOOD EITHER, WHEN THEY COULD BE 10 TIMES BETTER YET....

...

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:

Ya'll might look a bit further than raw numbers...

Their lack of intelligence doesn't allow it!

And their gleeful agenda doesn't want it!

quote:

raw number

lower death rate due to younger, overall stronger population..

if you booted out the folks you hate, those

with any prior right blood in them,...........,

your percentage be more like the national average.............

quote:

Originally posted by Grandpasez:

quote:

raw number

lower death rate due to younger, overall stronger population..

if you booted out the folks you hate, those

with any prior right blood in them,...........,

your percentage be more like the national average.............

Here we go, again, with the silly "prior right" bullshit....you are just friggin' goofy, gramps.

ONE DAY WILL BE IN THE COURT,

RIGHT NOW WOULD VOTE 6-3 FOR IT,

SEEING AS HOW KAV WROTE AN OPINION SUPPORTING

THE BACKGROUND REASON IT IS CORRECT........

Poor old goofy Bastard, makes slow joe seem sorta same.......

Aaaaaand? Yep! You're still an idiotic old drooler!

quote:

ONE DAY WILL BE IN THE COURT,

RIGHT NOW WOULD VOTE 6-3 FOR IT,

SEEING AS HOW KAV WROTE AN OPINION SUPPORTING

THE BACKGROUND REASON IT IS CORRECT.......

AND JT IS STILL GRADE F ASSHOLE..

quote:

Originally posted by Grandpasez:
...if .............

My favorite Spartan reply to Phillip

sHORT IS GOOD

IN SOME INSTANCES...

quote:

Originally posted by Grandpasez:
sHORT IS GOOD

IN SOME INSTANCES...

Stormy Daniels says Trump's is short.....

now THAT is a good laugh to start the day .. well, he does have little hands