New rapid COVID-19 test 'will save countless lives,' Sen. Rubio says
TAMPA, Fla. - Senator Marco Rubio wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking for 10 million of Abbott Laboratories' new rapid COVID-19 tests to be distributed to Florida.
The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency approval for the test on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, which Abbott says has 97% accuracy in detecting the virus.
Each test costs $5, and Senator Rubio says it is an affordable way to help re-open businesses and stimulate the economy.
FOX 13 spoke with Dr. Marissa Levine, a professor of public health at the University of South Florida, who says advances in testing can be very beneficial in helping fight the virus.
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“We have a lot to learn but I think testing is always been a foundational activity that we pushed for and if we really think this through and we have adequate capacity, we might be able to come up with an approach that can help us open things more safely; schools, universities, businesses, certainly businesses where people come together in close quarters,” Dr. Levine said.
Sen. Rubio pointed out the tourism industry specifically, saying a rapid COVID-19 test could help more businesses open back up and stay open.
Abbott Laboratories says it plans to distribute tens of millions of the tests in September.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed its guidelines on who should be tested for the coronavirus and travel quarantine, shocking public health experts across the country.