
Jack Ma to send 500K coronavirus test kits, 1M face masks to US - yadongwen
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/487535-chinese-billionaire-to-send-us-500000-coronavirus-test-kits-1-million-face
======
Leary
Masayoshi Son wanted to give his home country Japan 1 million tests, and
suffered a huge backlash on Twitter from people who said too many tests would
"overwhelm the health system".

[1] [https://www.businessinsider.com/masayoshi-son-breaks-
twitter...](https://www.businessinsider.com/masayoshi-son-breaks-twitter-
hiatus-to-tweet-about-coronavirus-2020-3)

No good deed goes unpunished, i guess.

~~~
uranusjr
The news feel under-informed to me. Much of the backlash against Son is
carried-over from his other comment to send free masks to medical personnel.
People are “wondering loudly” where on earth does he get so many masks when
almost literally nobody in Japan can buy any. Doesn’t his move make the
problem worse? The test tweet is under similar fire. How is he going to
“provide” these tests? Japanese people are not getting tests not because they
cannot afford them, but there is not enough medical resource to run the tests.
He offering free tests does not move the needle much, but on the other hand
may disrupt the already short-handed medical personnel.

Son has long been criticised in Japan of deception via selective facts. The
reputation may or may not be justified (he might just not be good at
expressing himself and never felt the need to clarify), but his recent tweets
are very on-brand with a bold claim and little detail, and it’s understandable
for the Japanese to express the same doubts based on his persumed track
record.

------
wollstonecraft
"Test kits" are just for sample collection. You still need throughput on a
qPCR machine to get results.

~~~
DarthGhandi
Shouldn't there be hundreds of labs with these machines though?

The United States government spends far more on healthcare than any other
nation on Earth. That's not including private health costs.

South Korea has the capacity to test 20,000 per day and has 1/6th the
population.

~~~
inferiorhuman
_Shouldn 't there be hundreds of labs with these machines though? _

Yes. Roche just got FDA approval on a SARS-COV-2 test that will take four (4)
hours that works with two of their (whatever you call the machine) models. Per
Roche there are around 110 of those machines in the United States. Bloomberg
had estimated throughput numbers and also indicated that Roche has tests that
work with some of their other, slower equipment (that I assume is in the US as
well).

Mayo Clinic recently developed a 2 hour test.

The limits on testing are, from my POV, entirely political at this point.

[https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/815522836/u-s-coronavirus-
tes...](https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/815522836/u-s-coronavirus-testing-gets-
a-breakthrough)

[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-13/roche-
get...](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-13/roche-gets-
clearance-for-coronavirus-test-that-s-10-times-faster?srnd=premium)

~~~
cjhopman
How does Korea have 15 minute tests (from when a sample is collected) and
we're excited about a 2 hour or 4 hour one? I'm not being flippant, I imagine
that whatever korea is doing they've been open about it and we know how to do
manufacture everything and perform those 15 minute tests, but I imagine there
must be some reason that we aren't doing them.

~~~
inferiorhuman
_How does Korea have 15 minute tests_

They don't. The drive through stations send samples off to a lab that uses a
5–6 hour process. If memory serves, a Hong Kong company devised a 45 minute
test otherwise in most places you're looking at hours not minutes.

[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51836898](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-
asia-51836898)

~~~
cjhopman
You're right. I swear I saw some article that said that South Korean drive
through would text results as fast as 15 minutes, but looking at a couple more
reports just now all said 24 hours.

------
t2riRXawYxLGGYb
Power move or not, these are things the US desperately needs. Just accept the
damn supplies, thank them, and try to do better next time.

~~~
avocado4
There's no shortage of test kits, there's a shortage of PCR lab capacity to
process those samples.

Masks and ventilators would be a good thing to donate though.

~~~
Gibbon1
There are antibody test kits as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGhoZ4zl_7w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGhoZ4zl_7w)

------
jariel
Apparently, almost all of the world's saline bags were made in Puerto Rico,
and a single hurricane disrupted this essential gear.

There have been longstanding concerns about strategic food - and even Oil
supply, I don't see how the US or any nation can reasonably not have the
domestic demand to meet an emergency.

China has been engaging in a form of systematic dumping on a variety of
industries for quite a long time - most of us enjoyed the benefits of lower
prices while local producers went out of business.

The nefariousness of their strategy is that it's often difficult to tell the
difference between simple 'low-cost advantage' vs. actual dumping strategies,
and who in the business world is going to argue against lower prices? Nobody.

The US military certainly wouldn't have 99% of their ammunition 'made in
China', well, war is much more than bullets, moreover, there's much more to
life than war ...

It's definitely time to have national regulations on a lot of such goods. A
simple ban on the import of strategic goods would work really well - America
is large enough that there'd be several domestic providers.

Americans would end up paying more for certain items, but does it really
matter when the surpluses are so large? So it costs $4 per mask instead of $2?
The price is not as important as availability. It would be a very natural and
synergistic way to increase wages as well.

This could be done in concert with a few key allies on a product by product
basis.

------
alephnan
The limiting factor right now is the availability of approved labs to perform
the test

~~~
jerkstate
A big point of the Presidents address today was around relaxing regulations to
help the response. So hopefully this will get sorted out.

~~~
meritt
Let's not forget that retailers are making their parking lots available,
Google has deployed 1,700 engineers to build a flowchart website, and the US
is buying up oil reserves.

I think this epidemic is pretty much solved, don't you?

~~~
netsharc
I tried googling some keywords to see if Google would show me that site
straight away, but didn't get anything in my 30 seconds of attempts.

Is it because I'm in Europe?

Got to love the oil reserves idea to help Saudi Arabia in its price war
against Russia. Ah fuck, that's why he declared national emergency: so he can
get 40 billion dollars to bail out the Saudis.

That lady was so proud of her 6 node flow chart too. She was beaming when she
took it out...

~~~
meritt
Nothing exists yet [1]. Verily (an Alphabet subsidiary but essentially
"Google" for all intents and purposes) is working on a triage website with a
limited focus on the Bay Area.

Ultimately it's going to be a slightly more complex variant of "Do you have a
fever?" with a map showing nearby testing locations when someone clicks yes.

[1] [https://www.businessinsider.com/google-coronavirus-
screening...](https://www.businessinsider.com/google-coronavirus-screening-
site-verily-trump-2020-3)

~~~
Retric
This is surprisingly useful and difficult to implement well. It’s more than
just keeping accurate information up to date, but also ensuring it works for
the blind and as many languages as possible etc. Further, the Bay Area is just
the initial pilot, their goal is likely nationwide if not international.

------
jacobwilliamroy
Wow. Chinese citizen sends humanitarian aid to the U.S. What a queer
situation.

~~~
incompatible
Seems strange that anybody would feel the need, given how the US is one of the
richest countries, trumpets it's own abilities endlessly, and has an official
policy of "America first".

I.e., it's surely capable of making its own virus test kits and face masks, if
it could be bothered.

~~~
ardy42
> Seems strange that anybody would feel the need, given how the US is one of
> the richest countries, trumpets it's own abilities endlessly

Unfortunately, it's also a country where the rich like to keep their riches to
themselves, and are averse to government action _in general_.

> I.e., it's surely capable of making its own virus test kits and face masks,
> if it could be bothered.

They're just outsourcing, like they do for everything.

~~~
zelphirkalt
This does not teach them how to fish though. Perhaps not the best idea in the
long run, although generous of course.

------
MuffinFlavored
How much do the test kits cost and how are they made? What materials? I read
there are like, 3 key special materials involved?

How are they administered? I've Googled and haven't found a simple answer. Is
it spit?

------
UncleOxidant
We could probably use some ventilators as well.

------
woofie11
Thank you. That's what I gotta say. Thank you.

I hate all the cynics and conspiracy theories here. It's a generous move, and
deeply appreciated.

Jack didn't spend that much money to be a douchebag. He spent it because this
will save countless lives.

~~~
mehrdadn
Yeah, honestly. Even as someone who can be cynical about things, I still think
this is very much kind and appreciated. Meanwhile I know others who say it's
political and means pretty much nothing... I just don't know how to reply.

~~~
adventured
It's clearly no more political than the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
directing funds & other resources to assist China (and Asia broadly) the other
direction, for which Xi personally thanked Bill [1]. China has an enormous
amount of wealth and production capacity, anything they can help out with is a
positive. As they bring their outbreak under control, they'll have dramatic
spare capacity around test kits and medical supplies, that can benefit the
rest of the world.

[1]
[http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/22/c_138807761.htm](http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/22/c_138807761.htm)

~~~
alisonatwork
Of course it's more political than anything Bill and Melinda are doing. Jack
Ma is a member of the CPC. The CPC is the sole organ of power in China.
Currently they are going to great lengths to try to make everyone around the
world forget that they are the ones who caused this pandemic in the first
place. They've even stooped to allowing the conspiracy theory to spread that
the true origin of the virus is overseas. It's shameful.

When the immediate crisis is over, the world needs to hold the CPC
accountable. You don't get to set a fire and show up with a bucket three
months later expecting to be declared a hero.

So, Jack Ma donating masks around the world can be a positive thing for the
people affected by the virus right now, but it can also be a cynical political
move at the same time.

------
tomohawk
One of the reasons the US developed its own test was that the test that China
was using had a 48% false negative rate. These are probably the same tests.

~~~
rannn
Yeah. The one CDC developed was faulty as well. That's why China is doing
multiple tests on patients. As well as doing CT scans widely.
[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-13/china-
cor...](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-13/china-coronavirus-
cases-jump-after-counting-method-revision) US is just wasting time, period.

~~~
tomohawk
Yes, CDC flubbed the test, probably because theirs was a 3 part test. They
also ordered that other labs wait for the CDC test instead of making their
own. However, any test used had to pass FDA muster at that time, and a test
with a 48% false negative rate likely would not.

The CDC is probably not the most agile organization, but I'm hoping that they
will scale.

------
_bxg1
Seems like a power move to me. Painting a picture for the world of struggling
U.S. institutions needing a Chinese billionaire's help to weather a crisis.

I'm not even sure it's incorrect.

~~~
tmotwu
Because thats what matters to you? Were europeans sending aid to China a power
move? It’s acceptable to send aid to each other, no matter who you appear to
represent.

~~~
zrobotics
The EU sending aid is definitely a political flex. It is still a good gesture,
but sending aid is a sign that a country is in a 'superior' position.

Jack Ma doing this is also a political move. I'm sure that part of the
motivation is just to help, but it seems clear to me that this is also
intended to show that China is in a position to help the US, and the optics of
that are that the countries are on equal footing. Remember, China as a country
does have a bit of a complex about their status, which is completely
understandable considering the rapid changes they have been through. This aid
shows that, rather than being a 2nd-class citizen, the country is in a
position to help America with something.

That being said, this is a great thing, these are much needed supplies for
which there isn't a large domestic manufacturing capacity (as it was
offshore). However charitable acts can also have additional political
motivations, and that does seem to be a factor here.

~~~
EdwardDiego
> The EU sending aid is definitely a political flex. It is still a good
> gesture, but sending aid is a sign that a country is in a 'superior'
> position.

When countries from around the world sent urban SAR specialists to
Christchurch following the earthquake, was that a signal that, say, Taiwan,
thinks they're superior?

When we send our victim identification specialists or rural firefighter
volunteers to countries that need them, is that flexing? Or is it just, I
dunno, countries helping each other?

------
zeroone101
The issue isn't "test kits". Its labs to run the tests. It seems like the CDC
and state governments are addressing that. Not really sure what this is trying
to solve.

------
ghouse
Because when our social contract with each other fails, we rely on the
generosity of the wealthy few to step in to assist.

------
pl0x
While this is a kind gesture it is likely propaganda and a power move.

------
jorblumesea
Political. The US doesn't need test kits and masks, it needs approval for labs
and cutting bureaucratic red tape.

~~~
yadongwen
Pretty sure in a couple of weeks US will need masks and other equipment. China
very likely is the biggest producer of masks and as the number of new cases
drops to near zero they have the extra capacity to donate to the rest of
world.

------
ck2
There is no way the current administration is going to accept them and make
the US look "weak" or "dire". Without exaggeration it's an easy guess they
will sit in a warehouse unused no matter how urgent the need.

------
sandov
The guy is either a complete idiot [1] or pretends to be one. I wouldn't over-
analyze his actions too much.

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHGd6LqAVzw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHGd6LqAVzw)

~~~
knzhou
Yes, he's a native Chinese speaker whose English is clumsy and ineloquent.

Guess how native English speakers sound when they're trying to speak Chinese?

~~~
nostromo
It wasn’t a language barrier issue though. And his English isn’t clumsy. It's
that the actual content of what he said was ridiculous. It reminded me of the
kind of BS Adam Neumann would say.

------
jayliew
And what if the mask itself is already tainted with the virus? Wouldn't you
want to verify that it's actually free of the virus in the first place? It is
coming from China.

~~~
mythrwy
Mask tainted with virus? Cmmon man, that is a tremendous stretch of
likelihood. And would lead to action.

Original poster was talking about masks not meeting some specification. And
I'm pretty sure most of your stuff has been coming from China for a long time.

I really am mindblown by both your, and original poster's negativity on this.
The guy is almost certainly trying to help. So thanks. And I say this as
someone who disapproves very strongly of the CCP.

~~~
jayliew
I don't care about "some spec". I want to know how this product, that is
coming from China, isn't already tainted with the virus itself.

Your refutation to my logic is "cmmon man" ?

It would lead to what action precisely?

I'm not a pessimist. I'm trying to be pragmatic.

~~~
fspeech
Why not spend a little time learning how long the virus can survive on any
mask before making nonsense comment like this? It deserved a stronger rebuke
than "cmmon man" since it's wasting everyone's time.

~~~
jayliew
So if you notice, you literally defended someone's "cmmon man" argument as NOT
a waste of everyone's time. How about you think about this, for a second, hmm?

Studies as of now suggest that the virus can last for 3 days on a surface. So
if you ship fly them over here from China, say a half a day flight, you have a
good 2.5 days to potentially accidentally infect people.

Are you going to "cmmon man" me now?

~~~
jessaustin
No, at this point you get a "relax, Nancy". No step in the process of
manufacturing surgical masks involves anyone breathing on a mask; they have
machines. Masks are never shipped by air; they're too bulky. Even items that
are shipped by air take several days on the ground to be shipped from
factories and to end users. Your innate fear of Chinese people has sent you
off the deep end.

~~~
jayliew
A flight is 12 hours. Considering it's a highly urgent need for a very unique
circumstance... we're not shipping, IDK, keychains or something.

~~~
jessaustin
Bulky non-perishable packaged manufactured goods are not shipped by air! It
would add quite a bit to the cost of this gesture to rent out three 747s for
shipping it.

This is pointless. If the fastest shipping method available took a month,
you'd be imagining crafty sick Chinese people stowed away, breathing on the
masks for the entire journey. You have a sickness, but it may not be
COVID-19...

~~~
jayliew
You realize that there are countries that are in complete lockdown, right?
These are not normal, but very serious times. If all a country had to do was
pay for the use of 3 full 747s, for a mere 12 hour flight, to get a solution
to save countless lives .. sounds logical to me that they'd expedite the
delivery.

Due to the fact that is a very serious, urgent, global pandemic. <\-- re-read
the last four words in that sentence, but slowly.

It blows my mind that during this global crisis, you think that it would take
a whole month just to transport life saving medical / health equipment. We're
not talking about shipping handbag accessories on Amazon's third party
marketplace here, Nancy.

~~~
fspeech
As suggested by others, you do have a sick mind. Why don't you simply propose
that people just quarantine the masks in a stock room for 72 hours instead?

~~~
jayliew
Name calling will get you far in life. Have a great day!

/End of pointless conversation with you/

