DPCC Report: U.S. Lags the World in Testing, Leads the World in COVID-19 Cases

Administration’s failure to test widely during the initial days of pandemic left the U.S. unable to contain the spread of the virus 

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today released a report detailing how the United States is drastically behind in testing compared to other countries. The report can be found here. 

“Testing saves lives. And a comprehensive strategy for rapid testing is essential in order to get our economy going again and allow Americans to go back to work  By failing to implement widespread testing months ago, the United States has been left unprepared and our families are paying the price. Democrats are pushing for a national testing strategy in order to protect those on the frontlines of this health care crisis as well as contain the spread of the disease. And we know that rapid testing is the only real way we can feel confident that it is safe to reopen our economy,” said Senator Stabenow. 

“As our heroes on the frontlines continue their critical work, it remains clear that the country’s testing capabilities are dangerously inadequate—we need quicker, more-comprehensive testing infrastructure to track and respond to the virus,” said Leader Schumer. “Senate Democrats’ new report shows that in order to adequately assess our country’s readiness to restart and get back on track, we need fast, free, and available testing in every community; expanded reporting; and a bolstered supply chain. A transparent, science-based approach, backed by public health experts is critical—not misleading claims and propaganda—and our proposal meets the challenge.”

The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed in Washington state on January 20, 2020. After 12 weeks, and the appearance of more than 600,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 25,000 deaths, the United States still lacks a national testing strategy to reliably and consistently test patients across the country. Instead, states have been forced to respond with limited federal support, leaving a patchwork of testing efforts across the country, limited data on the spread of the disease, and scarce supplies for testing and protection of health care workers. 

The report outlines how testing saves lives by giving health care professionals the information they need to prioritize treatment for those who need it most and manage scarce clinical resources, including personal protective equipment. Testing also keeps our essential workers safer by indicating who should stay home and who can keep working. Additionally, testing allows us to trace the virus and limit its spread through communities. Finally, testing can give us the information public health experts will need to decide when it’s safe to reopen our economy and get people back to work. 

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