Well, here we go again. Despite President Joe Biden's previous declarations of "independence" from COVID and statements about the pandemic being "over," his administration is again bringing back another relic of viral days gone by at a cost of $600 million to taxpayers.
According to the Biden administration, the recent return to previously eliminated protocols and ended programs comes over fears of potential supply chain strain or other issues that may be caused by an apparently White House-anticipated surge in COVID cases this fall and winter.
The Biden administration made public on Wednesday their plans to throw hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into producing COVID test for at-home use by Americans and relaunch the COVIDtests.gov website that allowed households to order up to four "no-cost" tests, even though their tax dollars were already used to produce and ship the tests whether Americans request the kits or not.
Tests can be ordered starting next Monday as the White House begins doling out the 200 million tests set to be produced.
As The Associated Press reported of the news:
Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million over-the-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said. Federal officials said that will help guard against supply chain issues that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID tests made overseas during past surges in coronavirus cases.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, said the website will remain functional to receive orders through the holidays and “we reserve the right to keep it open even longer if we’re starting to see an increase in cases.”
“If there is a demand for these tests, we want to make sure that they’re made available to the American people for free in this way,” O’Connell said. “But, at this point, our focus is getting through the holidays and making sure folks can take a test if they’re going to see Grandma for Thanksgiving.”
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She added that also “there’s always an opportunity or chance for another variant to come” but “we’re not anticipating that.”
“That’s not why we’re doing this,” O’Connell said. “We’re doing this for the fall and winter season ahead and the potential for an increase in cases as a result.”
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said that the “Biden-Harris Administration, in partnership with domestic manufacturers, has made great strides in addressing vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain by reducing our reliance on overseas manufacturing.”
“These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus,” Becerra said in a statement.
The Biden administration's latest action to again spend tax dollars to produce tests that are then billed as "no-cost" — to the American people who in fact did pay for them — comes as doctors raise questions about the review process for new vaccines being pushed by the White House, as Guy covered here.