Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan received 500,000 coronavirus test kits from South Korea last week, but local governments haven’t seen those test kits come in yet.
A reporter from The Washington Post asked Hogan Thursday about why those test kits have yet to be used.
“We still need swabs and reagents. There are about nine steps in the process,” Hogan said.
The tests are needed to fulfill the governor's mandate for testing of nursing home residents and staff, healthcare workers, and first responders and other communities that have the virus.
Hogan said the state is using as many of the tests as it can, with a number of those already being used at the Eastern Shore.
“Thousands of those tests are being used on poultry plant workers in Salisbury,” Hogan said.
The Montgomery County Council asked Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles when he expects to receive some of those tests, but he responded saying that he has no information to share on that yet.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Gayles said he’d like access to Hogan’s tests but he’s not waiting or relying on them.
“It’s our anticipation that they will be distributed. We’re awaiting details on how they will be specifically used,” Gayles said.
Montgomery County Health said the numbers of those infected indicate the state is surging and has yet to reach peak infection. In the meantime, local governments wait for more tests.
