Recent stories on COVID-19 testing in the U.S. include Meijer stores offering free at-home tests at its pharmacies, states stockpiling surplus supplies and more.
Here are six stories on nationwide testing developments reported by Becker's since Jan. 12:
- Meijer has become the first retailer to offer free, at-home polymerase chain reaction tests — the gold standard of COVID-19 testing — to customers at its 254 Midwest locations with pharmacies, the company said Jan. 31.
- The state of Michigan will distribute 250,000 free COVID-19 tests to 50,000 households through a partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state health officials said Jan. 31.
- A state COVID-19 rapid test exchange program has ceased operation, and more states are stockpiling surplus supplies instead of donating to others with shortages, Kaiser Health News reported Jan. 31.
- The White House said Jan. 28 that 60 million households across the country have ordered COVID-19 testing kits through a new government website, CNBC reported Jan. 28.
- The Biden administration's plan to distribute 1 billion rapid COVID-19 tests is putting pressure on manufacturers and distributors to bolster tight nationwide supplies, The Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 16.
- The FDA extended the shelf life of nearly 1 million rapid COVID-19 test kits that first expired in a Florida warehouse in September, the Miami Herald reported Jan. 11.