The White House vowed Wednesday to present 10 million more COVID-19 tests per month to schools amid a surge within the Omicron variant — whilst it’s nonetheless working to roll out President Biden’s weeks-old plan to ship 500 million at-home tests.
The Biden administration mentioned it might distribute 5 million speedy tests to schools and make an extra 5 million PCR tests obtainable by way of a Department of Health and Human Services program that collects virus samples and sends them to labs.
“These 10 million additional tests each month will allow schools to double the volume of testing they were performing in November,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients mentioned at a press convention.
“The president is clear: The nation’s schools can and should be open. And we have given state and local leaders the resources to ensure they can be open.”
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients mentioned the extra tests are meant to maintain the nation’s schools open. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File
The further tests — which come because the nation’s seven-day day by day common of infections soared to 751,000 — are as well as to “a dedicated supply of tests that [schools] secured months ago,” Zients mentioned.
Meanwhile, the White House remains to be working to mass-mail the five hundred million speedy tests to properties that the president promised Americans more than three weeks in the past.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response on the Department of Health and Human Services, mentioned Tuesday at a Senate listening to that the Biden administration had contracted for simply 50 million take a look at kits to date out of the five hundred million.
“We’re in the process of procuring the 500 million tests, which every American household will be able to order and have shipped directly to their house. We have completed four contracts so far, have secured 50 million tests and are in the process of securing the additional tests over the next several days,” O’Connell mentioned.
Employees of the Miami-Dade Public Library System distribute COVID-19 dwelling speedy take a look at kits in Miami, Florida, on Jan. 8, 2022. AFP by way of Getty Images
“We anticipate the first tests going out at the end of this month with the remaining tests going out over the next 60 days,” she added.
The administration hasn’t but launched an internet site for individuals to request the speedy tests and it’s unclear if these tests will attain properties in time to counter the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
The White House reportedly rejected an professional plan in October that referred to as for “Every American Household to Receive Free Rapid Tests for the Holidays/New Year” to fight a attainable COVID-19 winter surge.
President Biden’s administration remains to be working to ship 500 million at-home tests it promised Americans more than three weeks in the past.AFP by way of Getty Images
Biden denied to The Post that his workers rejected the professional plan — with the White House arguing that he belatedly embraced the mass-distribution drive late final month as instances elevated.
The White House has beforehand invested $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan to ramp up screening testing to enable in-person studying at schools, Zients mentioned Wednesday.
He didn’t say when US schools would obtain further tests, or whether or not personal schools shall be included within the plan.
