#IfYouReadOneThingToday - On nasal swabs

The pandemic has exposed countless gaps in the supply chains that keep society from collapsing. Before March 2020, no one could have imagined just how critical something as seemingly mundane as a nasal swab would be, but hindsight has proven to be a pretty effective teacher.

This is a fascinating piece that delves into the family nastiness behind one of the most essential tools in the fight against COVID-19, and the risks we run by ignoring the seemingly boring underpinnings of civil society. It's a terrific read.

America’s Covid Swab Supply Depends on Two Cousins Who Hate Each Other:

The pandemic brought the business opportunity of a lifetime to Puritan Medical Products of Guilford, Maine. But even a $250 million infusion from the U.S. government has done little to quell an epic family feud.

By Olivia Carville

Bloomberg Businessweek

March 18, 2021