Roche CEO Says Widespread Coronavirus Testing in United States is Long Away

According to the CEO of test manufacturer ROche, Severin Schwan, the widespread coronavirus testing in the United States is “weeks, if not months, out.”

Schwan told CNBC on Monday that the country wouldn’t be able to get tested broadly for weeks if not months.

“No doubt, ideally we would have broader testing, but at the moment, capacities are limited,” Schwan said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “I think this is still a couple of weeks, if not months, out, and the reason is very simple.”

Recently the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for a coronavirus test made by Roche.

Schwan has said that Roche distributed about 400,000 test kits throughout the country in the past week. According to the CEO, the tests can deliver results to patients in less than 24 hours. Companies, though, can’t produce test kits quickly enough to keep up with the spread of the virus, he said.

“The industry is increasing capacities, but at the same time infection rates are even increasing faster,” Schwan said. “At the moment, capacities are limited. That is why we have to prioritize testing to higher risk patients.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that only those most at risk from the virus should get tested but World Health Organization officials have criticized nations for not testing enough people proactively.

“We have a simple message for all countries: Test, test, test. Test every suspected case. If they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in contact with two days before they developed symptoms and test those people, too,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Roche Holdings AG Basel ADR (OTCMKTS: RHHBY) and have not been compensated for this article.