Covid-19 Test Kits Were Being Mass Produced in 2017?

Apparently, Covid-19 Test kits were a hot item in 2017 (and 2018). I am a bit confused as to why so many of the developed countries were mass producing Covid-19 test kits however. Being that, you know, it was a little early to be worried about a virus named after the future....

WITS (World Integrated Trade Solutions) has more details up on their site. I'll put archive links in case the normal ones get pulled someday, for some reason -->

Exports:

COVID-19 Diagnostic Test instruments and apparatus (902780) exports by country in 2017
https://archive.is/8xgHH#selection-555.0-557.8
COVID-19 Test kits (300215) exports by country in 2017
http://archive.is/HoRla

Imports:
COVID-19 Diagnostic Test instruments and apparatus (902780) imports by country in 2017
http://archive.is/oJ7Ym
COVID-19 Test kits (300215) imports by country in 2017
https://archive.is/PTQiQ#selection-555.0-557.8

Looks like China received the most...
Amazing foresight no??

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