White House won’t sign deal to mass-mail COVID tests until ‘late next week’

White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients admitted Wednesday that the Biden administration won’t ink contracts to mass-mail 500 million COVID-19 rapid tests until “late next week” — despite a record-smashing wave of new US infections and a shortage of tests.

The timeframe means it will take the White House nearly three weeks to start the process of making tests available after previewing the plan to combat the highly contagious Omicron variant Dec. 20.

“The Department of Defense and HHS are executing on an accelerated contracting timeline. Companies are already submitting information and we expect the contract to be completed late next week,” Zients told reporters at a virtual briefing.

“That means that the first deliveries from manufacturers will start in January. We’ll set up a free and easy system, including a new website, to get these tests out to Americans,” he added. “We’re actively working to finalize that distribution mechanism, which includes a website where people will be able to order tests for free.”