The COVID-19 pandemic

[danbrotherston]

It's not really that simple a test, compared to most medical testing as it's checking for the viral RNA. Until now, there has been no need to have this level of RNA testing capacity.

Then why do other regions have the capacity for such testing when we don't?

Why does any region have highly specialized equipment and skillsets....

We have an advanced tech and manufacturing industry here, other cities will probably ask why they don't have the skills to build what we can build.

Specialization is the heart of our society, even on the level of regions and countries.

Not to say that we shouldn't necessarily be building out this ability locally, but it's not unreasonable that we didn't have it before.