July 24th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
The coronavirus pandemic is far from over. That's the message from Governor Larry Hogan delivered during a mid week news conference. Maryland has surpassed conducting 1 million coronavirus tests, and the positivity rate among young Marylanders is as high as it has ever been. The governor reiterated his #SaferAtHome guidance, saying low risk does not mean no risk. Outside activity is still much safer than inside activity. Employers should continue encouraging telework. Avoid public transportation unless necessary. Hogan said that Marylanders are encouraged not to visit states where COVID-19 metrics are spiking, but if they do take a trip to those areas, you should be tested immediately upon your return. He said there is a basic rule of thumb message Maryland businesses should pass on to customers during this pandemic…
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July 24, 2020 at 7:27 am, Bob said:
He is touting all the testing but fails to mention that the half million tests the state bought through friends of his wife were all unusable.
July 24, 2020 at 8:33 am, Hope said:
> To Bob, here are the facts from one of the Baltimore news stations who had interviewed Gov Hogan:
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday in an interview with the 11 News I-Team that the state swapped out the original tests purchased from South Korea for newer ones.
The governor told the I-Team by phone that the newer tests are being used and processed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine lab that was ramped up to handle the South Korean tests.
The state spent $9 million in early April to buy 500,000 tests from the South Korean company called LabGenomics. The tests couldn’t be used until the state got other supplies that weren’t included in the purchase.
The governor told the I-Team Thursday that most of the kits were then later traded in with the company.
“They were swapped out, like you trade in your iPhone, for faster, better tests at a couple dollars more per kit,” Hogan said.
The governor said the new LabGenomics tests are part of a stockpile he mentioned Wednesday, totaling about 400,000 of them.
The governor said no one raised concern about the performance of the original batch of tests, saying that the state just had an opportunity to get a better product.
July 24, 2020 at 1:18 pm, Bob said:
> The folly of the iPhone analogy is obvious to anyone even a tad clever; the iPhone one trades in has been working and providing service as purchased for some time while the test kits were incomplete and unusable as purchased.
July 24, 2020 at 8:55 am, Mary said:
False. The tests are being used as reported by Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and other news outlets>
July 24, 2020 at 8:26 am, Ron said:
What’s your source for that info I hadn’t heard that about the tests
July 24, 2020 at 9:23 am, mac said:
Yes, source please.
July 24, 2020 at 10:55 am, Bob said:
> You should look it up yourself you lazy sods but I’ll give you some lines to search for.
State Working to Get Missing Parts for 500,000 COVID-19 Test Kits from South Korea
The state of Maryland is working to get missing components to complete the 500,000 COVID-19 testing kits secured from South Korea, Montgomery County Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles said at a virtual county council meeting Thursday.
“I do know that when they were brought in they did not include a number of other components for a successful testing capacity piece,” he said.
They eventually got partial credit for the 500,000 incomplete kits he had so beat his chest over in a trade for more expensive ones. This cock-up was kept quiet by most press as Larry is a documented sufferer of TDS.
July 24, 2020 at 12:18 pm, Ron said:
Well bob, you were the one who brought it up p. I should think you wouldn’t mind citing your source.
July 24, 2020 at 5:29 pm, mac said:
> True, he did bring it up but I am a lazy sod.
July 24, 2020 at 7:33 pm, bob said:
> Simple as well.