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These RT-PCR tests have become the backbone of our testing infra structure,
于是，RT-PCR檢測就成了我們檢測工作的支柱，
yet their high cost and slow rate of analysis have undermined any attempt to put their high sensitivity to good use.
然而，高昂的成本和緩慢的分析速度削弱了所有想充分發揮其靈敏度優勢的努力。
CDC analyses suggest that we are identifying only about 1 in 10 cases of COVID-19,
疾控中心的分析表明，我們只鑒定出了大約1/10的新冠病例，
mostly because we are testing so few people.
主要原因在于我們檢測的人數實在太少。
By putting a premium on the accuracy of tests,
由于過于重視檢測的準確性，
we fail to test a majority of people with COVID-19,
我們沒能來得及對大多數感染者進行檢測，
and these built-in delays actually undermine our ability to identify cases in a timely manner.
這些結構性的延遲削弱了我們及時發現感染病例的能力。
The Quidel company has already received FDA approval for its antigen-based test on a strip of paper.
魁德公司的抗原檢測試紙已經獲得了FDA的使用批準。
Researchers are testing another $1 antigen test for widespread use in Senegal.
研究人員還在測試另一種1美元抗原檢測方式的可行性，準備在塞內加爾大幅推廣。
Why, then, have these cheap and rapid tests not become the foundation of our national testing strategy?
那么，為什么這些廉價而快速的檢測沒有成為我們國家檢測戰略的支柱呢？
The answer lies in test sensitivity.
答案就在測試的靈敏度上。
Antigen tests require higher levels of virus than RT-PCR to return a positive result.
抗原檢測反饋陽性檢測結果所需的病毒水平高于RT-PCR檢測所需的病毒水平。
There has been significant pushback from those who believe it would be irresponsible to widely use a test that might miss many positive cases.
因此，這種檢測方式遭遇了部分人士的強烈反對 ，他們認為廣泛使用一種可能會遺漏許多陽性病例的檢測方式是不負責任的行為。
But the frequency of testing and the speed of results counter that concern.
不過，抗原檢測的頻率和反饋速度能夠抵消人們的這種擔憂。
The RT-PCR tests are currently slowing laboratories to a crawl.
RT-PCR檢測已經妨礙了實驗室的工作進展。
If everyone took an antigen test today, even identifying only 50% of the positives,
如果今天所有人都接受了抗原檢測，即便結果只檢測出了50%的陽性患者，
we would still identify 50% of all current infections in the country—
那整個美國也能檢測出50%的感染者——
five times the 10% of cases we are likely identifying now because we are testing so few people.
檢測率依然是我們當前檢測率的5倍，由于檢測人數太少，目前的檢測率只有10%。
Accuracy could be increased through repeated testing
檢測準確率能夠通過重復檢測，
and through the recognition that quicker test results would identify viral loads during the most infectious period,
通過對更快的檢測結果能夠在感染最嚴重的時期確定病毒載量的認識等方式加以提高，
meaning those cases we care most about identifying would be less likely to be missed.
這就意味著鑒別過程中我們最關心的那些病例是不太可能被遺漏的。
Even better, we would be identifying these cases while they were still infectious rather than 10 days later,
抗原檢測的另一大優勢是我們將能夠在它們尚且具備感染性的時候，而不是等到10天之后才將其識別出來，
when the virus might have already been transmitted repeatedly.
因為那時，病毒可能已經傳播多次了。
Speed matters much more than test sensitivity in controlling a pandemic.
在控制大流行面前，檢測速度遠比檢測敏感性重要。
The evidence makes clear it is time for a paradigm shift on testing.
證據清楚地表明，是時候轉變測試范式了。
Cheap and rapid antigen testing can identify and prevent every cluster of COVID-19.
便宜且快速的抗原檢測可以識別和預防每一個新冠肺炎人群。
It is time for the federal government to take strong leadership on directing our resources toward this new strategy.
聯邦政府也是時候發揮強大的領導作用，將我們的資源配置到新戰略上了。
The U.S. has the ability to print paper-strip antigen tests in massive numbers and to distribute them all over the country.
美國有能力大量付印抗原檢測試紙，將其分發到全國各地。
If we do these things, we can move past 10-day delays,
如果我們真的這么做，我們就能擺脫10天的延誤，
quash the current outbreaks and ensure that we can safely go to work,
平息目前的疫情，確保我們可以安全地工作
do our shopping and send our kids to school.
安全地購物，安全地送孩子上學。
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