Coronavirus testing and medical mistakes under the pandemic

We get an update on COVID-19 testing and talk with physician Danielle Ofri about treating patients during pandemic and her new book, "When We Do Harm."

Listen 49:00
A medical technician performs a nasal swab on a patient at Camden's drive-through testing center at 2600 Mt. Ephraim Ave. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

A medical technician performs a nasal swab on a patient at Camden's drive-through testing center at 2600 Mt. Ephraim Ave. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

The Trump administration’s COVID-19 testing strategy was revealed this week. It leaves the states largely responsible for testing which some officials worry will lead to states competing with one another for limited supplies. We start this hour looking at our testing capacity three months into the pandemic. Wide-spread testing is needed for states to safely reopen but where do we stand and is the White House is helping or hurting efforts.  We’ll also talk about whether antibody tests live up to the hype. Our guest is New York Times science reporter APOORVA MANDAVILLI.  Then, DANIELLE OFRI, an attending physician at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital, talks about treating patients in the epicenter of the pandemic and about her new book, When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error.

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