Americans will get At-Home Covid-19 Testing Kits by Mid-January

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Some reports have indicated that US President Joe Biden has planned to immediately provide 500 million at-home Covid-19 testing kits for Americans. A report said the White House and US Postal Service have finalized details of the plan. It is still unclear how many test kits households will be able to request or when they will get them. The Washington administration is under pressure on its pledge announced in December 2021 to provide the tests. These tests are considered essential to tackle the increasing Omicron variant. Most Americans experienced long lines outside pharmacies and complaints of testing kit shortages before Christmas. New school guidance letting students who test negative after being exposed to the virus stay in the classroom is also increasing demand.

Moreover, the Washington Post reported that the Washington administration is looking to start shipping the testing kits before mid-January. The news outlet also said a website is allowing people to request the tests will be launched soon. However, test manufacturers and distributors have submitted their proposals to provide the kits to the US government. The Biden administration has awarded its first contract for the tests and it could make an announcement about distribution next week. The Postal Service is in talks with its 4 labor unions to keep the increased staffing levels brought in annually over the holiday period to deal with the deliveries. The White House coronavirus response coordinator, Jeffrey Zients said that manufacturers would start delivering tests to the federal government over the next week or so.

Zients informed reporters that their distribution would not disrupt or in any way cannibalize tests available in pharmacies or online. He also said that Americans will be able to have the cost of rapid at-home tests reimbursed by their insurers. The tests are arriving too late, as experts said Omicron could peak by the middle of January and decline by the end of the month. The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the US government is not where it needed to be regarding the tests. Moreover, President Biden informed a news outlet in December that he had ordered the kits 2 months ago. Health experts believe that the testing kits made available will be enough, as the Biden administration needs to provide enough tests for American families to test twice a week, every week.