Feds to Ship Fast COVID-19 Tests to Assisted Living Sites
A federal official said Tuesday the government plans to ship rapid coronavirus tests to assisted living facilities, moving to fill a testing gap for older adults who don’t need the constant attention of a nursing home.
Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said assisted living facilities will be followed by senior day care centers and home health agencies in getting the tests.
The tests will come from a supply of 150 million ordered from test maker Abbott Laboratories. Abbott’s rapid test, the size of a credit card, is the first that doesn’t require specialty computer equipment to process. It delivers results in about 15 minutes and is priced at $5, significantly lower than similar older tests.
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“Assisted living providers have not received federal support during this pandemic, and this is a positive step in the right direction,” said a statement from the industry group American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. The group said the questions about resupplying tests will have to be addressed.
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