Every day, TGen North has completing up to 150 tests on patient samples. Engelthaler said the number should be able to double by next week, with the goal of reaching the capability of completing up to 1,000 tests a day within the next few weeks. Though vaccine-related projects are in the works nationally, he said it will likely be awhile before they become available.

Engelthaler said the overall goal related to the spread of COVID-19, often referred to as “flattening the curve” through hygiene or isolation efforts, will not lessen the number of cases, but could lessen the number of deaths. By spreading out the new number of cases over time, as represented by a curve on a line graph, he said, hospitals are less likely to become overwhelmed and can therefore treat more people. A reduction in percent increases of new cases would indicate when this curve is flattening.

“There is light at the end of this tunnel,” Engelthaler said. “We’re just going into a dark tunnel and it’s going to feel like that for a while, but by looking at China and South Korea and other places that have already been impacted, they’re on the decrease and that will happen here, too.”

Kaitlin Olson can be reached at the office at kolson@azdailysun.com or by phone at (928) 556-2253.

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