Headline Roundup • December 31st, 2021
Federal Plan to Distribute COVID-19 Tests Takes Heat Amid Shortages, Omicron Surge
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Voices across the spectrum have criticized the Biden administration's plan to produce and distribute COVID-19 tests as the U.S. sets new records for COVID-19 infections.
On Dec. 20, Biden announced a plan to distribute 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests beginning in January. White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Wednesday that contracts for the plan will be signed "late next week." Some pharmacies have reportedly sold out of tests as people try to get tested amid the surge in new infections. News outlets across the spectrum reported on large lines at testing sites across the country, which have prompted FEMA to establish federally-run testing sites in some hard-hit areas. Earlier this week, Biden denied a report from Vanity Fair (Lean Left bias) that his team dismissed an October proposal to mass-distribute rapid tests ahead of a possible winter coronavirus surge. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced a $137 million contract to boost production of a key component of COVID-19 rapid tests.
Outlets across the spectrum highlighted testing shortages, the high costs of tests and what remains unknown about Biden's testing plan. Coverage from all sides typically framed the Biden administration's response to shortages as slow. Right-rated outlets often highlighted the Vanity Fair report and Biden's denial of it more than left-rated outlets did. Some on the right also focused on reports that some tests may be less accurate against Omicron.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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...
NBC News Digital
Meeting President Joe Biden’s goal of offering 500 million free at-home Covid tests for Americans will require a massive scale-up in test manufacturing that may take months to achieve — falling short of demand as the omicron variant drives a surge in infections.
The U.S. had a supply of around 200 million at-home rapid tests in December. Test makers have indicated they will be able to increase that to just over 500 million a month by March with added capacity from current manufacturers and the recent clearance of two new tests from Roche and Siemens...
BING GUAN/REUTERS
As rising Covid-19 infections stoked demand for tests across the U.S. in December, California-based LumiQuick Diagnostics Inc. shipped 100,000 rapid tests to a hospital customer—in Germany.
LumiQuick didn’t receive authorization from the Food and Drug Administration to sell Covid-19 tests domestically after waiting several months for a decision.
Some public-health experts said the relatively strict review process is part of a broader failure by U.S. officials and manufacturers to make and distribute enough rapid tests to track the pandemic adequately. Nearly two years into the pandemic, people have struggled to find tests during the holiday...
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