U.S. orders 100 million COVID checks, White Home says extra wanted By Reuters

By Ahmed Aboulenein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The USA will enhance its stockpile of at-home COVID-19 checks, ordering greater than 100 million checks from home producers, the White Home stated on Thursday, however warned it was a short-term resolution.

President Joe Biden’s administration has repeatedly and unsuccessfully requested Congress for extra pandemic cash. It stated final week it could request $22.4 billion in emergency funding for COVID-19 reduction forward of a possible case surge in autumn.

“The Administration is performing, inside its restricted funding, to extend the provision of at-home COVID-19 checks within the Strategic Nationwide Stockpile (SNS) by buying over 100 million further at-home, speedy checks from home producers,” the White Home stated in an announcement.

The administration has warned it could be unable to supply sufficient checks, vaccines and coverings with out extra funding. Thursday’s announcement comes per week after it suspended orders of free checks from its COVIDTests.gov web site as of Sept. 2.

“Whereas inadequate to adequately replenish our present stockpile of at-home checks, this procurement will assist meet some testing wants within the months forward and can put us in a greater place to handle a possible enhance in testing demand this fall and winter,” the White Home stated of the brand new checks.

It didn’t say if ordering from COVIDTests.gov, by means of which 600 million checks have been delivered, would resume because of this. It stated final week that orders by means of the web site would resume if Congress supplies funding.

The administration can be launching a telehealth “Check to Deal with” program that can enable individuals in 15 rural and high-risk communities to get checks delivered to their properties, use telehealth to seek the advice of a clinician, and get antiviral remedies prescribed and delivered if crucial for gratis, it stated.

There are at the moment 2,800 “Check to Deal with” websites the place individuals may be examined at a pharmacy and instantly obtain free drugs in the event that they take a look at constructive.