CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio health leaders report there is a wide variety of reasons why the state continues to lag behind other states when it comes to COVID-19 testing rates.
According to a report by Johns Hopkins University and Medicine, Ohio is ranked 41, testing just over 2,900 people for every 100,000 residents, while other states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts are all testing more than 7,000 people per 100,000 residents.
Ohio Governor MIke DeWine showed his frustration on May 26, in not meeting his state projection of more that 22,000 daily COVID-19 tests by May 27.
The state is only testing between 9,000 to 12,000 residents daily.
“This is obviously frustrating, this is a question that I ask everyday to our team," DeWine said.
“That did not solve the swab problem, that did not solve the distribution problem.”
In response, Governor DeWine launched Congregate Care Unified Response Teams this week, mobilizing 14 teams, comprised of 10 highly trained Ohio National Guard members in each team, to boost COVID-19 testing at nursing homes across the state
Terry Allen, Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner, told News 5 Ohio continues to improve its coronavirus testing rates, but said getting the right testing supplies and equipment into the state has been the issue.
“We know that testing has lagged from the beginning of this response, so it really has been a national challenge.”
“Then there were challenges with reagents, these are the chemicals that are actually used to run the tests, and then there is equipment required.”
“But I think we are seeing a big difference even from a month ago.”
Donna Skoda, Summit County Public Health Commissioner, agreed not having the proper testing equipment, like having enough swabs, stunted Ohio's COVID-19 testing growth.
But Skoda said she is expecting significant strides in Ohio coronavirus testing in the coming weeks.
“We’ve not been able to build enough lab capacity quickly to be able to do it,” Skoda said.
“We had some testing issues.”
"I’m hoping by the middle of June we can start with some of this more expanded testing.”
