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States to receive close to 37 million rapid COVID-19 tests by end of the week

States to receive close to 37 million rapid COVID-19 tests by end of the week
Posted at 6:47 PM, Oct 26, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-27 07:21:53-04

The Trump administration says it's ramping up the distribution of rapid coronavirus tests across the US.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, states are on track to receive close to 37 million BinaxNOW antigen tests by the end of the week.

The department says the goal is to protect seniors and help states continue to re-open.

Officials say they're part of the 150 million BinaxNOW tests that the federal government already planned to deploy nationwide.

Abbott says the way it works is that lays the card flat on a countertop, an extraction reagent is added to the card, then the patient gets swabbed from the nose, and then the technician will insert the swab into the test card and fold it over.

Abbott Laboratories - which developed the test - says it delivers results in 15 minutes.

The HHS points out that more testing does not replace public health guidelines, including wearing masks and washing hands.