The rapid coronavirus test used by the White House may be failing to detect at least a third of positive cases when compared with a rival test, according to a new study from New York University. The findings have not yet been peer reviewed, and the test’s manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, disputed the study. Researchers found that the testing machine, the ID NOW, missed at least a third and as many as half the positive cases confirmed by its competitor, the Cepheid GeneXpert. The ID NOW is also slower than the president and others have advertised because it can only perform one test at a time, making it unfeasible for large groups like workforces at meatpacking plants.
