President Biden Announced Plan to Mail 500 Million Free Rapid Tests to American Households
Today, President Biden outlined the administration’s latest plans to combat the pandemic, including getting more shots in arms, expanding access to treatment, strengthening hospital capacity, keeping schools open, and distributing 500 million free rapid tests to families. During his speech, President Biden confirmed that unvaccinated Americans continue to make up the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths, and he made clear that efforts to spread misinformation about vaccines have never been more dangerous as Omicron surges across the nation.
Washington Post: Biden Announces Omicron Battle Plan That Includes A Half-Billion Free At-Home Tests, Help From Military. “President Biden on Tuesday outlined plans to expand coronavirus testing sites across the country, distribute a half-billion free at-home tests and deploy more federal health resources to aid strained hospitals, as the omicron variant drives a fresh wave of infections.” [Washington Post, 12/21/21]
The Hill: Biden: Pentagon To Deploy 1,000 More Troops Help With COVID-19 Spike. “President Biden said in a speech Tuesday that 1,000 military medical personnel will help at hospitals overwhelmed and burnt out by staffing shortages…The move comes as the nation’s hospitals have come under strain due to an influx of coronavirus patients, the vast majority of whom are unvaccinated.” [The Hill, 12/21/21]
Rolling Stone: ‘We Have To Do Better’: Biden Plans to Combat Omicron By Sending Free At-Home Tests To Americans. “Biden emphasized that deaths have been largely among unvaccinated individuals…Medical misinformation, unfortunately, has caused many to be skeptical of the vaccine. ‘It’s wrong, it’s immoral,’ Biden said. ‘I call on the purveyors of misinformation to stop it. Stop it now.’” [Rolling Stone, 12/21/21]
Axios: Biden: It’s “Your Patriotic Duty” To Get Vaccinated. “The Biden administration announced Tuesday it plans to purchase 500 million rapid tests to deliver to people for free starting in January. The federal government is also setting up additional testing sites and immediately sending emergency medical staffing to overwhelmed hospitals in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont. Officials have portioned out N95 masks, gloves, ventilators and other PPE from the national stockpile so they’re ready for shipment to states in need of assistance, the administration. An additional 1,000 military doctors, nurses and other health care workers will be deployed to medical centers as needed in January and February.” [Axios, 12/21/21]
Los Angeles Times: Biden Outlines New Strategy On Omicron, Will Order 500 Million At-Home Tests To Ship To Americans. “Biden outlined a new strategy to curb the impact of omicron, which has quickly become the dominant U.S. strain. The administration will order 500 million at-home tests to ship free to Americans, dispatch 1,000 members of the military to support hospitals and set up new testing and vaccination sites. The president also encouraged schools, many of which have recently chosen to close early for the holidays after outbreaks among students and staff, to adopt so-called ‘test-to-stay’ strategies to keep children in class.” [Los Angeles Times, 12/21/21]
AP: Biden Pledges 500M Free Virus Tests To Counter Omicron. “A cornerstone of the plan is Biden’s decision for the government to purchase 500 million coronavirus rapid tests and ship them free to Americans starting in January. People will use a new website to order their tests, which will then be sent to them by U.S. mail at no charge.” [AP, 12/21/21]
ABC: Biden Announces Plan To Mail 500 Million Free Rapid Tests To Americans Next Month. “President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a new plan to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid tests to Americans beginning in January as part of an attempt to double down on the spread of a transmissible variant.” [ABC, 12/21/21]
CBS: Biden Unveils Omicron Plan, Including At-Home COVID Tests And More Troops For Hospitals. “In addition to purchasing the 500 million rapid at-home tests, the government will also establish new testing sites and use the Defense Production Act to help manufacture more tests. There will also be pop-up vaccination sites, hundreds of new people to administer the vaccines and new rules that make it easier for pharmacists to work across state lines…the president doesn’t plan to impose any lockdowns and will instead focus on urging people to come forward for inoculation and booster shots.” [CBS, 12/21/21]
CNN: Biden Assures Americans Vaccinated Against Covid-19 That They Can Go Ahead With Holiday Plans Despite Omicron Surge. “The new test shipment scheme came during remarks meant to underscore the White House’s plan to confront what is expected to be a large spike in cases driven by the now-dominant Omicron variant in the coming weeks…Among the President’s new initiatives is a plan to prepare 1,000 military service members to deploy to overburdened hospitals across the country…those service members will include doctors, nurses, medics and other military medical personnel.” [CNN, 12/21/21]