Abbott Gets Emergency Authorization, Hires 2,000 And Could Have $750 Million Deal. A Look At Thursday’s Pandemic Developments

Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories took the day on Thursday, announcing emergency use authorization from the FDA for its rapid coronavirus antigen test that would be sold for $5 and provide results in 15 minutes. At the same time, Abbott said it would be hiring 2,000 temporary workers to ramp up production of the test, which is expected to be part of a $750 million deal that could be announced Thursday by President Trump at the Republican National Convention.

The testing news from Abbott comes as the U.S. tries to reduce bottlenecks associated with coronavirus testing. Abbott said its portable test, which is the size of a credit card, will provide affordable and quick results.

The test uses a nasal swab to test for a coronavirus protein and does not require any further equipment to get test results. Abbotts said the test was developed to quickly identify the coronavirus and prevent the spread of the virus.

Abbott also launched a mobile app called NAVICA that will provide test results in an app form that can be used to prove a negative test has been detected. The app, which is available for iPhone and Android devices, could allow for entry into a facility that requires a negative coronavirus test, Abbott said.

"We intentionally designed the BinaxNOW test and NAVICA app so we could offer a comprehensive testing solution to help Americans feel more confident about their health and lives," Robert B. Ford, president and chief executive officer at Abbott, said in a statement. "BinaxNOW and the NAVICA app give us an affordable, easy-to-use, scalable test, and a complementary digital health tool to help us have a bit more normalcy in our daily lives. Abbott test.”

Abbott said it plans to ramp up to 50 million tests per month by the beginning of October. To facilitate the production and delivery of the tests, Abbott will hire 2,000 temporary workers at its new Gurnee, Illinois, facility to produce the rapid antigen test.

The temporary employees of the facility will be in place for the “foreseeable future,” an Abbott spokeswoman told the Chicago Tribune. Employees will not require technical expertise and will be provided with on-the-job training, the Tribune reported.

Abbott's announcement to ramp up production and hire mass workers comes as Trump is expected to announce a $750 million deal with the company for the purchase of 150 million of its rapid coronavirus antigen tests for deployment in nursing homes, schools, and other high-risk areas, Politico reported.

Trump is expected to tout that the tests are “Made in the U.S.A” during his Thursday speech at the Republican National Convention as he announces an expansion of coronavirus testing across the nation, sources told Politico.

The announcement is a departure for Trump that has called for less coronavirus testing because it is making the U.S. look bad. It also comes as the CDC is under fire for its new guidelines on coronavirus testing. The agency said that asymptomatic people that have come in contact with someone that has the coronavirus no longer needs to get tested for the virus unless they are vulnerable to the coronavirus or are advised by a health official.

The CDC has said the guidelines were crafted with expertise from medical professionals such as Dr. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the administration response to the pandemic, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, head of the Food and Drug Administration.

The CDC on Thursday clarified the change in guidelines, with Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, said that “Testing is meant to drive actions and achieve specific public health objectives. Everyone who needs a COVID-19 test, can get a test. Everyone who wants a test does not necessarily need a test; the key is to engage the needed public health community in the decision with the appropriate follow-up action.”

In other coronavirus news:

• While the Southern Hemisphere may have blocked a flu pandemic with the efforts they made during the coronavirus crisis, the Northern Hemisphere may not fare so lucky. CDC Director, Dr. Robert Redfield, told the Associated Press, “This could be one of the worst seasons we’ve had from a public health perspective with COVID and flu coming together. But it also could be one of the best flu seasons we’ve had.” Health officials are urging Americans to get the flu shot to avoid a “twindemic,” the AP reported.
• After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines for coronavirus testing, which Admiral Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said was based on advice from medical experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert; Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the administration response to the pandemic, and Stephen Hahn, head of the Food and Drug Administration, it was revealed that Dr. Fauci was having surgery at the time of the CDC discussions. Fauci told CNN he was under anesthesia at the time the guidelines were being discussed and was not a part of the discussions. He said that he was “worried it will give people the incorrect assumption that asymptomatic spread is not of great concern.” At the time, Fauci was having a polyp removed from his vocal cords.
• The American Medical Association has issued a statement about the new changes to the CDC’s guidelines for coronavirus testing. The association’s president, Susan R. Bailey, criticized the new guidelines, saying in a statement, “Months into this pandemic, we know COVID-19 is spread by asymptomatic people. Suggesting that people without symptoms, who have known exposure to COVID-positive individuals, do not need testing is a recipe for community spread and more spikes in coronavirus.” She called for an explanation for the changes and said the “scientific justification for this change in testing guidelines” should be released.
• The American Medical Association also issued a letter urging the FDA to work more closely with the medical community for its plan surrounding COVID-19 vaccine candidates. In the letter that was sent to the FDA, the association called for transparency for “authorization or licensure, standards for review, and safety and efficacy data as soon as possible.” The American Medical Association also said it is “strongly committed” to ending the global pandemic and is against medical misinformation. It is looking to promote vaccine confidence among patients as well as the general public.
• Pizza delivery sales are surging, and Americans are speaking out about what chain is their favorite. A survey by TOP Data indicated that Little Caesars is by far the favorite with 24 states showing that it is the most popular pizza order. Behind Little Caesars was Papa John’s followed by Dominos, which took nine and seven states, respectively. Pizza Hut also secured a spot as well as Marco’s Pizza and Godfather’s Pizza in the survey.
• Researchers said there is new evidence that it is possible to contract the coronavirus from an airplane bathroom, which as published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. A 28-year-old woman, who was flying from Italy to South Korea, was thought to have contracted the virus during a flight while in the bathroom – the only place she removed her N95 mask. The news of the research comes as airlines bumped up their sanitation and safety protocols during the coronavirus pandemic.
• A study by Bankrate.com suggested that economies of New York, Nevada, and New Jersey have suffered the most from the COVID-19 pandemic. Coupled by mortgage delinquencies and job losses, these states have seen the worst of the months-long coronavirus crisis. New York was the hardest hit with an unemployment rate of 15.9% in July, up from June’s 15.7%, and a mortgage delinquency rate that dropped to 8.38% in July compared to 9.65% in June. Nevada and New Jersey saw similar economic hardships during the pandemic.
• Worldwide there are over 24.2 million positive cases of the coronavirus, with over 827,500 COVID-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the U.S., there are over 5.8 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with over 180,000 COVID-19 deaths. The U.S. leads Brazil and India, which have over 3.7 million and over 3.3 million positive cases of the virus, and Brazil and Mexico, which have over 117,000 and over 62,000 COVID-19 deaths, respectively, according to data from the university.