Covering Coronavirus: Can We Pass the Test?

Testing for COVID-19 has been described as essential for easing restrictions and reopening the country. But experts widely agree that the U.S. has nowhere near the number of test kits and lab capacity we need. Meanwhile, huge questions remain about the reliability of antibody tests that have flooded the market with no FDA oversight. Such serology tests, designed to see if someone has been previously infected, have been plagued by false readings and scant supply. Further, it remains scientifically unclear what degree of immunity the presence of COVID-19 antibodies confer. In this webinar, we heard from a leading infectious disease expert and top reporter on whether or not we can test our way out of this crisis — and what that means for near-term efforts to reopen states and jumpstart the economy. We shared key numbers, highlighted story angles to pursue, and identified how reporters can cover this issue at any level.

This webinar is a project of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, NIHCM Foundation and Commonwealth Fund.