Headline RoundupSeptember 29th, 2020

White House Announces Plan to Distribute 150 Million Rapid COVID-19 Tests

Coronavirus, Life During Covid-19, Public Health, Donald Trump

Summary from the AllSides News Team

The White House announced Monday that it will distribute 150 million rapid COVID-19 tests to states over the next few weeks, including to K-12 schools, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. According to a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) statement back in August, the White House entered into a $760 million contract to Abbott Laboratories for delivery of 150 million rapid tests to expand "strategic, evidence-based testing" in the United States. This week, 6.5 million tests will be deployed, and a total of 100 million tests will be distributed to governors based on state population in the next few weeks. While governors will decide where the tests go, the White House is encouraging schools to use the rapid tests to help restart in-person classrooms. Coverage from some left-rated outlets mentioned that this announcement comes a day before the first presidential debates, and after the New York Times released a report examining years of Trump's tax information. Coverage from right-rated outlets tended to focus on the details of the announcement and the White House's goal of resuming in-person K-12 classrooms.

Featured Coverage of this Story

From the Right

'Game-changer': White House details shipments of 150 million rapid virus tests

Washington Times

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Washington Times

News

States will receive 6.5 million rapid coronavirus tests this week, President Trump said Monday, dubbing the move a “game changer” that will allow governors to protect first responders and reopen schools as his administration dispatches 150 million tests it bought from Abbott Laboratories a month ago.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, thanked Mr. Trump for the BinaxNOW tests. He said the 15-minute turnaround time will allow him to screen K-12 schoolteachers daily instead of weekly.

“We want to get 100% of our kids back in the classroom,” Mr. Reeves...

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From the Left

Trump announces plan to distribute 150 million rapid coronavirus tests

Axios

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President Trump announced on Monday that the federal government will distribute 150 million rapid, point-of-care coronavirus tests to states over the next few weeks, including to K-12 schools and vulnerable communities like nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has stressed the importance of reopening schools in allowing parents to return to work and jumpstarting the economy.

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From the Left

Trump gives update on coronavirus testing after bombshell report on taxes

CBS News (Online)

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President Trump announced the federal government is sending 150 million rapid care tests to governors to distribute as they deem fit. Governors are encouraged to use them to screen at schools and in high-risk settings, the president said in a Rose Garden event.

But the president had already announced that would be happening in August, before accepting the nomination at the Republican National Convention.

The update on the nation's coronavirus testing strategy comes one day after a bombshell report from the New York Times provided an in-depth look...

Open on CBS News (Online)

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