The following report is by the Associated Press:
The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household — aiming to prevent possible shortages during a rise in coronavirus cases that has typically come during colder months.
The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25, and that no-cost tests will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service.
Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states from California to Maryland have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million over-the-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said.
The new effort is meant to guard against supply chain issues that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID tests made overseas during past surges in coronavirus cases. But it also illustrates the political balance President Joe Biden is trying to strike as he seeks reelection next year between trumpeting his administration having led the country through the worst of the pandemic while also trying to trying to better prepare for the continued effects of a virus that persists.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, said that though some portions of the public may be tired of the pandemic and its implications, at home-testing remains a key way to slow the spread of new cases.
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.
Anticipating that that would be true again, or something similar, we want to make sure the American people have these tools.
O’Connell said.
O’Connell said the website will remain functional to receive orders through the holidays 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.
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.
O’Connell said.
The tests are designed to detect COVID variants currently circulating, and are intended for use by the end of the year. But they will include instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates, the department said.
The initiative follows four previous rounds where federal officials and the U.S. Postal Service provided more than 755 million tests for free to homes nationwide.
It is also meant to complement ongoing federal efforts to provide free COVID tests to long-term care facilities, schools, low-income senior housing, uninsured individuals and underserved communities which are already distributing 4 million per week and have distributed 500 million tests to date, the department said.
O’Connell said manufacturers would be able to spread out the 200 million tests they will produce for federal use over 18 months. That means that, as demand for home tests rises via the website or at U.S. retailers when COVID cases increase around the country, producers can focus on meeting those orders — but that they will then have an additional outlet for the tests they produce during period when demand declines.
She also said that each winter since the pandemic began “as people move indoors into heated spaces” cases rise and added that also “there’s always an opportunity or chance for another variant to come” but “we’re not anticipating that.”
That’s not why we’re doing this. We’re doing this for the fall and winter season ahead and the potential for an increase in cases as a result.
O’Connell said.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said 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 said in a statement.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Oh good grief, here we ago with that ‘You don’t want to kill grandma now do you?’ propaganda again. Its seems the Biden administration and the media has dusted off that old ruse.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
Again, this whole latest Covid scare is purely about compliance, to see just how many people will obey this garbage again the way it was presented similarly the first time around. People from what I have seen here in Northern Indiana, people are not buying; and this area has good amount of liberals and progressives, so that tells most people are over it and don’t care.
However, because the government is now wasting away more of our money, expect to really start flying off the hook about a rise in cases, now that the tests have been made free again.
Again – laying aside the fact that “Covid” has never been isolated and proven to cause disease (by the CDC’s and other world health body’s admissions) – these tests are not designed to test for acute respiratory diseases, they cannot discern the fake variants; and they cannot even tell the difference between the flu and this “Covid.”
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Repeat After Me:
I…Do…Not…Comply.
$600 million, huh? They sure do like to mark themselves & their lies with ‘6’s, don’t they?
If ya have the sniffles and take their test: Prestoe changeo, ya gots covid.
any type of infection will show positive
It’s cold and or flu as it has been for thousands of years. Mothing to see here.
This is what I have to say they can stick it where the sun don’t shine!!!!I’ve never took a flu shot and I will never take the hokey pokey shot.Biden needs to go check his diaper cause he is full of dung dung.I’m not wearing a stinkin diaper on my face either never have and never will slow potato head Joe.
..a fad never completely goes away.
Isn’t it funny how Zelensky is always hitting up others for money and ammo but never for covid vaccines? It’s as if covid had completely vanished in Ukraine the moment the war broke out. Did Zelensky try to forcibly recruit covid and send it to the meat grinder like he does with pretty much every physically fit Ukrainian male, and covid got scared and ran abroad? I can’t find any rational explanation for why covid isn’t a problem in Ukraine anymore. Can anyone?