Biden’s announcement comes as the highly contagious Omicron takes hold.
During a White House address on Tuesday, President Biden laid out a plan for his administration’s response to the Omicron variant, which now accounts for 73% of new cases. One major element? A lot of rapid tests. We’ve got details on what the White House plan entails, and thoughts from three experts — including a former official of the Department of Health and Human Services — about whether those tests will be be able to mitigate the public health crisis.
What does Biden’s plan call for?
The president announced plans to send 500 million rapid tests directly to Americans for free, starting in January. So how do you access yours? The federal government will be setting up a website where you can submit requests, and the tests will be shipped directly to your home.
Additional testing sites will also be set up in high-population areas like New York City, and another 1,000 military doctors and other health personnel will be sent to hospitals as needed in January and February. Plus, to avoid another medical-supply shortage, Biden plans to send out additional ventilators and medical equipment.
But Biden didn’t call for additional restrictions or business closures, citing that the U.S. is in a much better position than it was last spring. “This is not March of 2020,” Biden said. “We’re prepared; we know more.”
Is this response too little, too late?
Our experts think so. While the Bipartisan Policy Center’s chief medical advisor Anand Parekh calls Biden’s new action plan “really important,” he also the expansion of overall testing was needed weeks ago. But he adds that the new game plan is “better than never.”
“Our healthcare system is absolutely stretched and strained right now. And we haven’t even hit the surge of Omicron cases come January,” says Dr. Parekh, who is a board-certified physician, and previously served as a deputy assistant secretary at HHS from 2008 to 2015.
There are also questions over whether 500 million rapid tests will be enough. The New York Times estimates that there will be fewer than two tests available nationwide per American every month, even if the testing supply in January doubles. That’s why infectious disease expert Dr. Jeffrey Klausner thinks the U.S. should make a strategic call on who receives these tests.
“We don’t have an infinite amount of tests — those really should be prioritized to people who are at risk for complications and not necessarily people who are asymptomatic,” says Dr. Klausner, who is also a professor at the University of Southern California.
Why are testing lines so long?
Amid the uptick in coronavirus cases, the U.S. has found itself in the midst of yet another testing shortage. As you might’ve already experienced, some walk-up testing lines involve hours-long wait times, and at-home tests are seemingly nowhere to be found.
Some travelers were left hanging at John F. Kennedy airport after its testing center apparently ran out of PCR tests, and as cities await federal help, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has made free self-testing kits available for pickup.
The strain is especially concerning since many Americans plan to travel and gather with their loved ones this holiday season, but Dr. Robert Lahita says that doesn’t mean everyone should automatically cancel their plans.
“People can still comfortably gather with family for the holidays, but I would recommend everyone be vaccinated,” he says. “If you have loved ones who are still skeptical, become a vaccine advocate and educate them on the safety and efficacy of these vaccines.”
How often should you get tested?
The general consensus among our experts is that you should get tested if you’re experiencing symptoms, planning to travel, or attending a large gathering. But Dr. Lahita, who’s also author of the upcoming book Immunity Strong, points out that if you’re staying at home and don’t have any symptoms, “there’s no need to get tested frequently.”
