* NPR…

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning the public about the reliability of a widely used rapid test for the coronavirus. The test, made by Abbott Laboratories, has been linked with inaccurate results that could falsely reassure patients that they are not infected with the virus.

The Trump administration has promoted the test as a key factor in controlling the epidemic in the U.S., and it’s used for daily testing at the White House.

As first reported on NPR, as many as 15 to 20 out of every 100 tests may produce falsely negative results. A study released this week indicated that the test could be missing as many as 48% of infections.

* But…

A rapid coronavirus test made by Abbott Laboratories could be missing infections because of “user error,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Friday. […]

A recent study from New York University, which has not been peer-reviewed, found the test missed a third of samples collected with nasopharyngeal swabs that tested positive with a test from rival Cepheid.

When using samples collected with “dry nasal swabs,” the Abbott test missed more than 48% of positive cases, the study said. Both nasopharyngeal swabs and dry nasal swabs are collected from the nostril, but the former is inserted much deeper into the nose.

Azar said Friday that users are not supposed to collect the swabs and then “spend time transporting it” to get to the test. He added the company is currently conducting a post-market study as companies do for any emergency use authorization product.

* Abbott statement…

We’re seeing studies being conducted to understand the role of ID NOW in ways that it was not designed to be used. In particular, the NYU study results are not consistent with other studies. While we’ve seen a few studies with sensitivity performance percentages in the 80s, we’ve also seen other studies with sensitivity at or above 90%, and one as high as 94%.

* I asked the governor’s office for a response. Here’s Jordan Abudayyeh…

Illinois uses a wide variety of tests to make up our capacity. We are not overly reliant one specific testing method. IDPH would urge those who are presenting with COVID-19 symptoms who get a negative test result from an ID NOW machine, to obtain a second test to ensure their results are accurate. On a recent call with the White House, Dr. Birx said that Abbott’s rapid test accuracy increases when the swabs go directly from patient to machine with no other delays in the transport and IDPH would urge medical professionals to follow that advice.

The whole thing is designed to be immediate point of use. You get swabbed and then it’s put right into the machine, which is about the size of a toaster.

I was also told that out of more than 538,000 Illinois tests, just over 51,000 were ID NOW tests.

* And speaking of swabs…

First, it was masks. The federal government sent the surgical variety, instead of the N95 respiratory-grade masks Illinois asked for and needed.

Now, swabs are the issue.

It’s the latest trouble with supplies sent to Illinois by the federal government to deal with the coronavirus. […]

Packages marked “Comforts for Baby: Cotton Swabs” arrived in a cardboard shipping box; 180-count packs that look the same as what Illinois received are selling for $1.50 on Instacart.

“What are we supposed to do with these?” a spokeswoman with the Pritzker administration said. “Not helpful.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday that despite the label, the swabs are in fact made of the polyester variety used for COVID-19 tests. […]

Upon inspection, a spokeswoman for Pritzker’s office said state public health workers found the swabs are, in fact, made of polyester rather than cotton.

But these swabs are short – the same as a Q-tip, or about the length of a finger.

Swabs used to test for COVID-19 are typically longer, roughly double in length, in order for a person to hold onto the stick end while pushing the tipped portion unsettlingly high into a nostril.

Sheesh.