Newsom Disagrees With CDC; Increases COVID-19 Testing Production

Kat Schuster
·2 min read

CALIFORNIA — Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness may soon be in for a confusing world of anxiety with flu season approaching to mix with the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he plans to combat a potential "twindemic" by accelerating coronavirus test production and processing.

Pivoting away from the CDC's new guidelines, which Newsom said he disagreed with, the state will partner with PerkinElmer, a diagnostics company. The partnership will allow the state to produce an additional 150,000 coronavirus tests per day with a guaranteed turnaround of 24 to 48 hours, Newsom said.

Currently the state is conducting an average of around 100,000 tests per day with a week-long turn around to receive results — the new partnership would significantly increase access to testing.

"I don't agree with the new CDC guidance, period, full stop," Newsom said Wednesday. "It's not the policy in the state of California. We will not be influenced by that change. We're influenced by those who are experts in the field, who feel very differently."

The CDC's new guidelines suggest that people who have come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, do not need to be tested.

"You do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one," The CDC stated in new guidelines posted Monday.

Alternatively, Newsom plans to boost testing as flu season approaches.

By partnering with PerkinElmer, the state will be building out a new laboratory in California with a full supply chain, which will effectively lesson the costs of the COVID-19 tests kits. This, Newsom said, will grant more citizens access to tests and will produce faster results.

The production and processing costs of the current test are "jaw-dropping," Newsom said several times during the Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Coronavirus in California:

  • Currently there are 679,009 COVID-19 cases in California

  • Newsom announced that Amador and Glenn counties dropped off the monitoring list

  • Tehama county was added to the monitoring list

  • The state's positivity rate was 6.1 percent over the last 14 days (5.8 percent in a 7 day period)

  • Hospitalizations fell 17 percent over the last 14 days

  • ICU admissions fell by 16 percent in the last 14 days







This article originally appeared on the Across California Patch