Coronavirus task force members urge widespread COVID-19 testing

May 12, 2020 Michael US 0

Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, speaks about the coronavirus during a press briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 11, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11:23 AM PT — Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Members of the White House coronavirus task force recently highlighted the urgency of COVID-19 testing. During the Senate Health Committee’s hearing Tuesday, CDC Director Robert Redfield said it’s critical for testing and contact tracing to be implemented to stop the spread of the virus.

“Rapid, extensive and widely available timely testing is essential to reopening America,” he stated.

Surveillance, testing, contact tracing, and community mitigation interventions are the best tools we have right now to combat #COVID19. Rapid, extensive, widely available, and timely testing is essential to reopening America. https://t.co/tMnoiLTXS4

— Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) May 12, 2020

Meanwhile, HHS Assistant Secretary of Public Health Admiral Brett Giroir said the government will be able to perform nearly 13 million tests over the next four weeks and expects millions more over the coming months.

“So by September, taking every aspect of development, authorization, manufacturing and supply chain into consideration, we project that our nation will be capable of performing at least 40 to 50 million tests per month if needed at that time,” said Admiral Giroir. “And if new technologies are authorized, like whole genome sequencing approaches or any novel solutions uncovered by NIH’s new diagnostics initiative, that number will be much higher.”

President Trump recently announced $11 billion will head to state and local governments to expand COVID-19 testing across the nation.

The Trump Administration is providing collection supplies to help states meet their testing goals rapidly! pic.twitter.com/HHkJQUYNzs

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 11, 2020