By WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration introduced Wednesday that it’s offering $600 million in funding to provide new at-home COVID-19 exams and is restarting an internet site permitting Americans to once more order as much as 4 free exams per family — aiming to stop doable shortages throughout an increase in coronavirus circumstances that has sometimes come throughout colder months.
The Department of Health and Human Services says orders might be positioned at COVIDTests.gov beginning Sept. 25, and that no-cost exams will likely be delivered free of charge by the United States Postal Service.
Twelve producers that make use of a whole lot of individuals in seven states from California to Maryland have been awarded funding and can produce 200 million over-the-counter exams to replenish federal stockpiles for presidency use, along with producing sufficient exams to satisfy demand for exams ordered on-line, the division mentioned.
The new effort is supposed to protect in opposition to provide chain points that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID exams made abroad throughout previous surges in coronavirus circumstances. But it additionally illustrates the political steadiness President Joe Biden is attempting to strike as he seeks reelection subsequent yr between trumpeting his administration having led the nation by means of the worst of the pandemic whereas additionally attempting to attempting to higher put together for the continued results of a virus that persists.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, mentioned that although some parts of the general public could also be bored with the pandemic and its implications, at home-testing stays a key method to sluggish the unfold of recent circumstances.
“Whether or not people are done with it, we know the virus is there, we know that it’s circulating. We know, if past is prologue, it’ll circulate to a higher degree and spread, and cases will go up in the fall and winter seasons,” O’Connell mentioned. “Anticipating that that would be true again, or something similar, we want to make sure the American people have these tools.”
O’Connell mentioned the web site will stay purposeful to obtain orders by means of the vacations and “we reserve the right to keep it open even longer if we’re starting to see an increase in cases.”
“If there is a demand for these tests, we want to make sure that they’re made available to the American people for free in this way,” O’Connell mentioned. “But, at this point, our focus is getting through the holidays and making sure folks can take a test if they’re going to see Grandma for Thanksgiving.”
The exams are designed to detect COVID variants at the moment circulating, and are supposed to be used by the top of the yr. But they may embody directions on the way to confirm prolonged expiration dates, the division mentioned.
The initiative follows 4 earlier rounds the place federal officers and the U.S. Postal Service supplied greater than 755 million exams free of charge to properties nationwide.
It can also be meant to enrich ongoing federal efforts to supply free COVID exams to long-term care amenities, colleges, low-income senior housing, uninsured people and underserved communities that are already distributing 4 million per week and have distributed 500 million exams thus far, the division mentioned.
O’Connell mentioned producers would be capable to unfold out the 200 million exams they may produce for federal use over 18 months. That implies that, as demand for house exams rises by way of the web site or at U.S. retailers when COVID circumstances enhance across the nation, producers can give attention to assembly these orders — however that they may then have a further outlet for the exams they produce throughout interval when demand declines.
She additionally mentioned that every winter for the reason that pandemic started “as people move indoors into heated spaces” circumstances rise and added that additionally “there’s always an opportunity or chance for another variant to come” however “we’re not anticipating that.”
“That’s not why we’re doing this,” O’Connell mentioned. “We’re doing this for the fall and winter season ahead and the potential for an increase in cases as a result.”
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra mentioned that the “Biden-Harris Administration, in partnership with domestic manufacturers, has made great strides in addressing vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain by reducing our reliance on overseas manufacturing.”
“These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus,” Becerra mentioned in an announcement.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”