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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, stated that Congress was close to a deal on a new COVID-19 relief bill. This bill is aimed at giving relief to small businesses that are reeling from the lockdown guidelines. However, Congress is hung up on one thing: COVID-19 testing.
Testing for the novel coronavirus has been a bottleneck for the US since March. Despite being the global epicenter of the virus, the US does not have the testing capacity to keep up with the massive number of cases. Congress, meanwhile, is unable to agree on whether there should be a national testing strategy.
One of the most probable paths back to normal life is widespread testing for COVID and a robust early response to developing hotspots. Experts believe half a million tests per day would be enough to help isolate cases. Testing is a much more achievable method for returning to normal than waiting for a vaccine or treatment. The reason? Medication for the virus could be more than a year away.
Meanwhile, testing is possible now. Once discovered, people with the virus can be quarantined for the time it takes for the virus to run its course. If done on a large enough scale, this could be the most direct way to handle the virus. If everyone with COVID simply had no contact with people not wearing PPE, the virus would run its course.
The only problem with this plan is that the US doesn’t have the capacity to administer half a million tests per day. Some countries stockpiled testing equipment before the pandemic was global. The US missed that window. Now, we’re playing catch-up.
Meanwhile, Congress is scrambling to reach a deal for small business relief. Their initial round of funding for loans for small businesses ran out very quickly. Many businesses were frustrated that large companies like Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse soaked up millions of dollars in loans. Meanwhile, actual small businesses are struggling to pay bills and keep their employees on.
This has resulted in many employees frantically searching for local job opportunities during a pandemic. A public health crisis has been combined with an economic crisis.
The American economy would all but certainly collapse if the government left small businesses to fend for themselves. Lockdown procedures forced many to close their doors for over a month. A complete lac of revenue, while bills are still coming due, is enough to shutter many cash-strapped businesses. While Congress argues over the federal role in overseeing testing, businesses are just holding out for some aid.
