The COVID-19 Rapid-Testing Explainer

Rapid antigen tests are cheap, easy and deliver results in just minutes. And their mass distribution is being touted by experts as something that will be crucial to helping society return to normalcy. In this episode we interview two of their pioneers. With her pilot program in Halifax bars and restaurants, infectious disease specialist Dr. Lisa Barrett was among the first in Canada to deploy pop-up testing on a mass scale. And author Joshua Gans spearheaded the thinking behind Canada’s largest rapid testing pilot, led by the Creative Destruction Lab, where Joshua is the chief economist. By exploring the perspectives of these pioneers, guest host Dr. Peter Nord investigates an important new COVID-19 containment tool.

Links, references and highlights:

A Globe and Mail story on Dr. Lisa Barrett’s rapid testing trial in Halifax bars and restaurants

The Creative Destruction Lab’s Rapid Screening Consortium

One of the most popular rapid antigen tests is the Abbott Panbio. Learn more about it.

A New York Times story on Canadian rapid-testing efforts is here.

Plugging the Gap is Joshua Gans’ newsletter covers the pandemic as an information problem that needs information solutions.

Joshua Gans’ just-released book is The Pandemic Information Solution: Overcoming the Brutal Economics of Covid-19.

Follow @joshgans on Twitter.

Follow Dr. Lisa Barrett on Twitter @LisaBarrettID