FDA approves San Diego company's new test kits

FDA approves San Diego company's new test kits

AS THE NEED FOR TESTING BECOMESMORE URGENT, THE RACE IS ON TOGETMORE COVID-19 TEST KITS IN THEHANDS OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.AS 10NEWS REPORTER RINA NAKANOEXPLAINS, ONE LOCALCOMPANY IS MAKING A BIG DENT INTHE TEST KIT SHORTAGE.STAYING AT HOME AND AWAY FROMOTHERS - ITS THE GOVERNOR'S HOPETO CURB THE SPREAD OF THECORONAVIRUS.BUT THAT DOESN'T CURB FEAR.MANY SAN DIEGANS STILL WISH TOGET TESTED.

BUT HEALTH OFFICIALSSAY THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.DR. ERIC MCDONALD - MEDICALDIRECTOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY ANDIMMUNIZATION, SAN DIEGO COUNTY"THE TESTING SITUATION ISFRUSTRATING FOR EVERYONE/SINCE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTRELEASED THE COVID-19 GENETICSEQUENCING ON JANUARY 8TH,DIAGNOSTICS COMPANIES HAVEBEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TOINVENT A NEW, EFFICIENT TEST.ONE OF THOSE IS HOLOGICDIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS INSORRENTO VALLEY.KEVIN THORNAL - PRESIDENT,HOLOGIC DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS"WE STARTED DOING EXPLORATORYSCIENCE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ISTHE VIRUS AND WHAT CAN WE DO TOHELP?"ON MONDAY MARCH 16TH, THE FDAAPPROVED HOLOGIC'SCLINICAL TRIALS FOR EMERGENCYUSE AUTHORIZATION.AND SINCE THEN THEY'VE SHIPPEDHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OFTHEIR TEST KITS TO THEIRCLIENTS..

INCLUDING LOCALHOSPITALS, LABS,PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, AND THEDEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FORTESTING MILITARY PERSONNEL."WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM YOURSTANDPOINT IF YOU ARE GOING INTOYOUR PHYSICIAN IS SOMETHING LIKETHIS.

THIS IS JUST A SMALL FILETHATHAS A NASAL SWAB THAT LOOKS LIKEA Q-TIP.

AND THAT WILL BE PUT UPYOUR NOSE, THEY'LL PUT IT IN AVIDEO LIKE THIS AND SEND IT OFFTOTHE LAB."UNLIKE EARLY MANUAL-STYLE TESTS,THORNAL SAYS HOLOGIC'SAUTOMATED KITS TAKE OUT THEPOSSIBILITY OF HUMAN ERROR.PLUS.

EVERYTHING FROM R AND D TOPRODUCTION HAPPENS IN OURBACK YARD."THE TEST WAS INVENTED BYSCIENTIST THAT LIVE HERE RIGHTHERE IN SAN DIEGO.

AND RIGHT NOWOUR OPERATIONS TEAM RIGHT HEREOFF OF MIRA MESA BOULEVARD,COMPANY, FIGHTING THE TEST KITSHORTAGE.RINA NAKANO 10NEWS.HOLOGIC SAYS ITS GOA