HHS to send 1.75 million rapid COVID tests to Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is sending 1,750,000 COVID-19 tests to Wisconsin, according to a press release.

The rapid point of care tests, which can diagnose coronavirus infection in as little as 15 minutes, will be distributed at the discretion of Governor Tony Evers "to support testing K-12 students, teachers, nursing home patients and staff, higher education, critical infrastructure and other priorities as he deems fit."

“To facilitate the continued re-opening of Wisconsin schools, businesses and economy, the Trump Administration has prioritized scaling up the state’s point of care testing capacity by making this $760 million national investment in BinaxNOW tests,” said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett Giroir, MD. “Distributing these rapid tests directly to states is consistent with the Trump Administration’s successful, ongoing approach of testing the right person, with the right test at the right time, is working and the effort will continue until the pandemic is under control.”

As of Oct. 26, more than 1,061,000 BinaxNOW tests have been shipped to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin has provided the tests to long-term care facilities and approximately 208,000 to hospitals.

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