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These RT-PCR tests have become the backbone of our testing infra structure,
于是，RT-PCR检测就成了我们检测工作的支柱，
yet their high cost and slow rate of analysis have undermined any attempt to put their high sensitivity to good use.
然而，高昂的成本和缓慢的分析速度削弱了所有想充分发挥其灵敏度优势的努力。
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，我们只鉴定出了大约1/10的新冠病例，
mostly because we are testing so few people.
主要原因在于我们检测的人数实在太少。
By putting a premium on the accuracy of tests,
由于过于重视检测的准确性，
we fail to test a majority of people with COVID-19,
我们没能来得及对大多数感染者进行检测，
and these built-in delays actually undermine our ability to identify cases in a timely manner.
这些结构性的延迟削弱了我们及时发现感染病例的能力。
The Quidel company has already received FDA approval for its antigen-based test on a strip of paper.
魁德公司的抗原检测试纸已经获得了FDA的使用批准。
Researchers are testing another $1 antigen test for widespread use in Senegal.
研究人员还在测试另一种1美元抗原检测方式的可行性，准备在塞内加尔大幅推广。
Why, then, have these cheap and rapid tests not become the foundation of our national testing strategy?
那么，为什么这些廉价而快速的检测没有成为我们国家检测战略的支柱呢？
The answer lies in test sensitivity.
答案就在测试的灵敏度上。
Antigen tests require higher levels of virus than RT-PCR to return a positive result.
抗原检测反馈阳性检测结果所需的病毒水平高于RT-PCR检测所需的病毒水平。
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，这种检测方式遭遇了部分人士的强烈反对 ，他们认为广泛使用一种可能会遗漏许多阳性病例的检测方式是不负责任的行为。
But the frequency of testing and the speed of results counter that concern.
不过，抗原检测的频率和反馈速度能够抵消人们的这种担忧。
The RT-PCR tests are currently slowing laboratories to a crawl.
RT-PCR检测已经妨碍了实验室的工作进展。
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检测，即便结果只检测出了50%的阳性患者，
we would still identify 50% of all current infections in the country—
那整个美国也能检测出50%的感染者——
five times the 10% of cases we are likely identifying now because we are testing so few people.
检测率依然是我们当前检测率的5倍，由于检测人数太少，目前的检测率只有10%。
Accuracy could be increased through repeated testing
检测准确率能够通过重复检测，
and through the recognition that quicker test results would identify viral loads during the most infectious period,
通过对更快的检测结果能够在感染最严重的时期确定病毒载量的认识等方式加以提高，
meaning those cases we care most about identifying would be less likely to be missed.
这就意味着鉴别过程中我们最关心的那些病例是不太可能被遗漏的。
Even better, we would be identifying these cases while they were still infectious rather than 10 days later,
抗原检测的另一大优势是我们将能够在它们尚且具备感染性的时候，而不是等到10天之后才将其识别出来，
when the virus might have already been transmitted repeatedly.
因为那时，病毒可能已经传播多次了。
Speed matters much more than test sensitivity in controlling a pandemic.
在控制大流行面前，检测速度远比检测敏感性重要。
The evidence makes clear it is time for a paradigm shift on testing.
证据清楚地表明，是时候转变测试范式了。
Cheap and rapid antigen testing can identify and prevent every cluster of COVID-19.
便宜且快速的抗原检测可以识别和预防每一个新冠肺炎人群。
It is time for the federal government to take strong leadership on directing our resources toward this new strategy.
联邦政府也是时候发挥强大的领导作用，将我们的资源配置到新战略上了。
The U.S. has the ability to print paper-strip antigen tests in massive numbers and to distribute them all over the country.
美国有能力大量付印抗原检测试纸，将其分发到全国各地。
If we do these things, we can move past 10-day delays,
如果我们真的这么做，我们就能摆脱10天的延误，
quash the current outbreaks and ensure that we can safely go to work,
平息目前的疫情，确保我们可以安全地工作
do our shopping and send our kids to school.
安全地购物，安全地送孩子上学。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
