Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Rapid At-Home Tests Arrive To Boost Covid-Beating Efforts
Axios: Feds Push Forward On Rapid Coronavirus Tests
The federal government is pushing forward on rapid, at-home coronavirus tests. Testing remains an important part of controlling the pandemic, even as vaccinations continue to rise — both for people who haven't yet been vaccinated, and to catch emerging outbreaks early. (Fernandez, 4/2)
KHN: Backed By Millions In Public And Private Cash, Rapid Covid Tests Are Coming To Stores Near You
Scientists and lawmakers agree that over-the-counter covid tests could allow desk workers to settle back into their cubicles and make it easier to reopen schools and travel. But even as entrepreneurs race their products to market, armed with millions of dollars in venture capital and government investment, the demand for covid testing has waned. Manufacturing and bureaucratic delays have also kept rapid tests from hitting store shelves in large numbers, though the industry was energized by the Food and Drug Administration’s greenlighting of two more over-the-counter tests Wednesday. (Norman, 4/1)
The New York Times: Coronavirus Testing Declines May Mask The Spread In Some States
Declines in coronavirus testing in many states in the South and the Great Plains are making it harder to know just how widely the virus may be spreading in those states, even as restrictions are lifted and residents ease back into daily life, experts say. States in both regions are reporting few new cases relative to their population, compared with harder-hit states like Michigan or New York. But they are also testing far fewer people. Kansas, for example, is now testing about 60 people a day for every 100,000 in population, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, and Alabama only a bit more. The picture is similar in Iowa, Mississippi and elsewhere. (Martínez, 4/1)
North Carolina Health News: As Variants Lurk, Continued COVID Testing Is Crucial
As North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination numbers go up, the number of people getting tested for the virus has gone down. While that could be a sign of hope that virus spread has slowed because of the millions of people who are fully or partially vaccinated in this state, it also troubles public health experts. (Blythe, 4/2)
