Covid-19 test numbers fell in the United States

(CNN) -

Covid-19 test numbers are down in the US and that's bad news.

Without testing, there is no way to keep track of where the pandemic is heading and whether vaccines are working.

And there is no way to make use of one of the most important tools to combat infectious diseases: contact tracing.

"While the public may view vaccination as a priority right now, and it is a priority, widespread testing is still essential for infection control," said Romney Humphries, medical director of the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology at the Medical Center of the United States. Vanderbilt University, during an Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) briefing.

'This will help us track the actual impact.

Do we really see a reduction in cases? "

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Testing can also help track variants.

The United States recorded an average of about 1.5 million covid-19 tests per day in recent days, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.

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That's about 26% less than the average in mid-January, when the US hit a seven-day high of more than 2 million reported tests on January 15.

The rate has started to pick up again, but only slightly.

"If we don't do the tests, we don't know how much infection there is," said Dr. Mary Hayden, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division and director of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Rush University Medical Center, during the IDSA session. .

He added that while infection rates have decreased, they remain high and, in some places, higher than during the summer.

The White House covid-19 team's daily community profile reports have tracked several indicators, including testing.

In terms of testing rates, the ideal is a seven-day daily average of at least five tests per 100 people.

But in a report released this week, only five states reached that threshold in a seven-day period, placing them in the "dark green" category: Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York and Alaska.

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Eight states were "red" or "dark red," meaning there was less than one test for every 100 people.

The states in this category were Oklahoma, Missouri, South Dakota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, California, and Georgia.

With the current spread of the infection, Hayden said he does not believe the country is in a place where general strategies can be relaxed and testing reduced.

Testing is also an important tool for reasons beyond diagnosis, including determining quarantine requirements and tracking the evolution of the pandemic, Humphries said.

"I think one of the most important messages is to the public: If you have symptoms, it is very important that you go and get tested and determine if you are positive or not," Humphries said.

What is being seen in the labs and from the data is a reduction in the number of people coming in for tests based on symptoms, according to Humphries.

What Happens in the "Red" and "Dark Red" States

California has had one of the biggest drops in testing rates since mid-January, according to federal data.

The state health department noted that the volume of tests has decreased for the fifth week in a row.

The seven-day average dropped to around 181,000 tests per day from around 230,000 tests daily.

The California Department of Public Health asked labs that noted a decrease in orders for PCR tests over the past two weeks and found that supply was not a factor.

Rather, people are simply not taking the test.

In Oklahoma, people just aren't looking for evidence, Travis Kirkpatrick, deputy commissioner for the Oklahoma State Department of Health, told CNN.

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He attributed this to several factors, including a high vaccination rate in the state, a warmer climate, and a decline in hospitalization and case rates.

Kirkpatrick also believes his condition is suffering from some COVID fatigue.

“We continue to offer tests.

We continue to find ways to expand testing, "he said.

“There are many ways that we continue to push evidence from a policy standpoint, from a public health standpoint, and then deliver it.

But on the lack of evidence numbers, I think we attribute much more to a lack of interest than anything else.

It's not yet time to sound the alarms, Kirkpatrick said, but his department is wary of people who think they don't need to get tested.

He said Oklahoma will continue to invest in testing, calling it its best tool for surveillance.

How a state got to "dark green"

In Vermont, one of the five states where testing is still at high rates, the emphasis on contact tracing is helpful, said Tracy Dolan, deputy commissioner of public health for the Vermont Department of Health.

Also, the tests are used to help people get out of quarantine earlier, Dolan told CNN.

"In the beginning we created some more aggressive policies than the CDC," he said.

“The state has a strict travel quarantine policy, and the best way to get out is to get tested early.

It definitely encourages people.

Vermont also prioritized testing early on, Dolan said, making it widely available and free.

Most testing sites in Vermont are within a 30 minute drive and most sites are open seven days a week.

The state draws additional testing resources when there are outbreaks and has a "constant" surveillance test.

Local health officials promote testing through targeted social media if there is an increase in cases and communities and leaders have supported testing from the beginning, Dolan said.