Washington (AP) — The Biden administration is doubling efforts to increase the supply and accessibility of COVID-19 testing. This is due to growing criticism of the long line, supply shortages for national inspections, and confusion about when to be inspected. Omicron surge..
The White House announced Wednesday that a dedicated stream of 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests will be available to schools starting this month to alleviate supply shortages and facilitate safe resumption of schools. Did.
Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Health and Security Center at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, said he would join the COVID-19 team to oversee the promotion of enhanced testing. The move took place a few days before private insurance companies requested Americans to refund their tests, and launched a new federal website for Americans to order free tests to be sent to the door.
However, advancing the test supply can be too slow for many Americans trying to safely navigate the case surge of Omicron fuel, which is already showing signs of crushing.
Dr. Rochelle Warrensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gave guidance on Wednesday when Americans should use the tests they lacked when they traveled during the busy holiday season and saw their families. Provided.
“Americans need to be tested when they have symptoms that look like COVID-19,” she said. This includes fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches. She also stated that she should be tested after known exposure to the virus, usually 5 days after exposure, or earlier as part of a test-to-stay protocol at school or at work.
“Sure, if you’re gathering with your family, it could be an opportunity if you’re going to a rally with people with immunodeficiency, the elderly, unvaccinated, or poorly protected from the vaccine. Yes, I want to test it, “she added.
The School Exams Initiative, announced Wednesday, will take place after Chicago’s third-largest public school system has been closed for several days after a deadlock between teachers and staff on reopening policies. The closure was annoying to President Joe Biden, who prioritized reopening the school and keeping it open.
Minister of Education Miguel Cardona Students need to be in the classroom, and the announcement shows the government’s commitment to help keep the school open.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure that our children have the opportunity to stay in school,” Cardona told CBS Mornings Wednesday. “We need to be there and we know we can do it safely.”
Cardona said the state is applying for testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding that distribution is expected to begin as early as next week.
“We recognize that schools are a hub for the community,” he added, adding that “schools are essential to our students.”
“It’s very clear that we want the school to open, both publicly and privately,” White House spokesman Jen Psaki said on Monday.Resources needed to deal with what may occur Pandemic.. “
The new set of tests is sufficient to cover a small proportion of more than 50 million students and educators in schools across the country, but will be devoted to 10 billion of school-based tests approved by the COVID-19 Relief Act. In addition to more than $ 130 and the law allotted about $ 130 billion to send children to school.
The government hopes that testing will make up for a significant shortage in existing federal-funded schools where it is difficult to secure tests and schools facing the outbreak of the more infectious COVID-19 variant.
“Today’s efforts are a major step forward in enabling school districts that are struggling to secure tests that teachers and staff rely on to see what is invisible,” said the President of the American Teachers’ Federation. One Randy Weingarten said.
The government is also working to target other federal-sponsored test sites to support the school’s testing program, including placing a Federal Emergency Management Agency site in the school.
In addition, the CDC will release new guidance later this week to help implement the school. “Test to stay” policyThe school uses rapid tests to maintain close contact with those who test positive in the classroom.
The Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
Biden’s doubling focuses on testing in shortages, turmoil | Health
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