Christina Cassidy, state government reporter, Atlanta, targeted 10 states that have quickly rising coronavirus infections, finding that the crucial turnaround time to get results from a coronavirus test is exceeding federal guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline for results is less than two days.

In the absence of federal data, Cassidy’s state-by-state reporting found typical turnaround times of three days from public labs, and longer lag times at commercial labs. Her story included a global perspective, noting the turn-around time is much faster in South Korea but much worse in some other countries, including South Africa.

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A CVS pharmacy technician demonstrates how COVID-19 tests are processed in a testing area set up at St. Vincent de Paul medical clinic in Phoenix, June 15, 2020.

AP Photo / Ross D. Franklin