COVID-19 Testing Is Critical, but Lacks Federal Guidelines and Protocols

This commentary provides an overview of the state of COVID-19 testing in the United States. The importance of COVID-19 testing is clear, especially as new cases climb dramatically, reversing earlier successes at controlling the spread of the disease. The lack of coordinated, federally-led testing initiatives and protocols have prompted questions about how often testing should occur, whether both symptomatic and asymptomatic should be tested, and who should pay for it.