Washington (AP) — Almost half 500 million free COVID-19 tests Biden administration Recently released to the public Not yet claimed, as the number of cases of the virus has plummeted and people no longer feel the urgency of testing.
From vaccines to hand sanitizers, pandemics have subploted a surge in demand along with testing.first day White house test gift In January, COVIDtests.gov We have received more than 45 million orders. Authorities now state that the United States Postal Service offers less than 100,000 daily orders for four free rapid test packages per household.
Still, the White House sees this program as a step towards a deeper, more resilient test infrastructure that responds to surges in demand and stays on standby when cases decline. Dr. Tom Inglesby, a test advisor for the COVID-19 response team, told The Associated Press, “We intend to maintain this market entirely. The market is volatile and will fluctuate with the proliferation of variants. I know. “
Testing becomes more important Mask requirements have been relaxed, Says some independent experts. “If infection control is still our priority, testing is the focus,” said Dr. Lina Wen, a former Baltimore Health Commissioner and pandemic commentator. “Four tests per household in a family last only once. There should be enough tests for the family to test twice a week.”
Inglesby claims that the parts have fallen into place to accommodate it.
Currently, private insurers need to cover eight free rapid tests per person per month. Medicare coverage begins in the spring. The government also makes free home exams available through libraries, clinics and other community facilities. Capacity has been built for more accurate PCR tests performed by the lab. The White House recently asked the industry for ideas on how to maintain and expand national trials for the rest of the year.
Wen says he still needs a guide on when and how often to test. “For now, it’s not clear yet,” she said.
Pivot to test President Joe Biden was forced Because the Omicron variant gained power just before Christmas. The tests were frustratingly difficult and expensive to obtain. The White House is sensitive to criticism that aid may have been too late.
Tim Manning, Supply Coordinator for the COVID-19 Response Team, said:
Around mid-December, Omicron’s predictions dimmed day by day, and White House officials began discussing ways to make them available to anyone who wants a free test. But if the government begins to suck up tests in the market, it will exacerbate the shortage.
“What was important to us was that what we had to do was not to cause a shortage in retailing to the general public,” Manning said.
The White House has joined the Department of Defense and part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which has been working on the Trump administration’s vaccine development efforts to distribute vaccines. Logistics experts have scrutinized the world for available tests. The post office has been designated to receive and deliver the order.
Hana Shank, an expert on government technology projects with New American think tanks, said that part proved to be a good call. The post office already had a database of all addresses on the land and a means of delivery.
“At the federal level, only the post office has a database connected to the fulfillment engine,” she said.
According to Manning, it took less than a month to prepare the project. “I said this wasn’t an online retail. It’s an emergency, so I went as soon as possible,” he said.
To ensure that tech-savvy people aren’t the only ones to take the free exam in the end, the administration targeted some of the deliveries to people in low-income areas. The White House worked with service organizations to disseminate information.
“We prioritized the processing of orders to the country’s most socially vulnerable zip code,” said test advisor Ingressby.
One of the service groups is the National Community Health Workers Association, whose members help people navigate the healthcare system.Executive Director Dennis Smith said the group used its website to reach more than 630,000 people. COVIDtests.gov..
Overall, about 20% to 25% of the tests were done on people in the affected areas, officials said.
It’s unclear what will happen to the White House giveaway program now that demand is declining significantly. Allowing repeated orders is one possibility.
Smith says groups like her need to get a surplus. “We know where people are,” she said.
The program is still in its infancy, but Kaiser Family Foundation analyst Lindsey Dawson believes that its legacy lies in getting more people accustomed to testing. “It may be comfortable to take advantage of the tests, thinking about how they might use them in their lives,” she said.
Sabita Sharaf, a retiree from the suburbs of Maryland, said he ordered a free test in mid-January and took it in early February. She tried to protect them in order to increase her sense of security. At the store she couldn’t find a test for less than $ 25.
“I’m very relieved that I can test myself right away,” Sharaf said. “If the vaccination rate is high, it would be a little easier to say that we stopped this program, but we feel we have to look next month or two months to see what happens. “
Copyright 2022 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
Almost half of Biden’s 500 million free COVID tests have not yet been billed | Health
Source link Almost half of Biden’s 500 million free COVID tests have not yet been billed | Health
The post Almost half of Biden’s 500 million free COVID tests have not yet been billed | Health appeared first on Illinois News Today.
No comments:
Post a Comment