Dawn O’Connell, HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response, just testified in the Senate that 50 million at-home Covid tests “have been secured” and that they should be mailed to people by the end of the month:
Remember those 500 million tests that President Biden said Americans could order free online?
The first 50 million have been secured, and can be ordered by the end of the month. The rest should be available over subsequent 60 days, says Dawn O'Connell, a top HHS official.
— Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) January 11, 2022
Middle of the month, end of the month — what difference does it make?
HHS official giving update on 500 million rapid tests promise. Will be delivered by USPS and they expect first to go out at the end of this month. I believe the WH had said in the middle of the month originally, but checking.
— Evan Lambert (@EvanLambertTV) January 11, 2022
The website to order them isn’t even finished yet:
The U.S. Digital Service will be helping with the website for Biden's website for sending rapid Covid-19 tests to Americans, Dawn O'Connell of HHS said. USPS will be delivering.
The first tests will be out at the end of the month with "the remaining tests over the next 60 days."
— Ben Leonard (@_BenLeonard_) January 11, 2022
But it’s actually worse than that. O’Connell also admitted that these tests already exist and they’re literally just sitting in warehouses right now:
HHS reveals during a Senate hearing that 50 million COVID tests are sitting in warehouses.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 11, 2022
In other words, these are tests that could be sold RIGHT NOW but instead, now they’re out of the retail pipeline for the government to give away at some later date:
Right now the government is signing contracts with warehouses that have tests, not with test manufacturers. They have secured 50 million tests right now.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 11, 2022
Unbelievable. We’ll have plenty of tests available just when there is no need for plenty of tests available:
The Biden administration has secured 50M rapid Covid tests — aiming for 500M
HHS's O'Connell confirms to Sen. Burr gov't bought them from warehouses, where they've been stored, not manufacturers of these tests.
So these companies had stock to sell and the gov't found them.
— Alex Ruoff (@Alexruoff) January 11, 2022
And watch Dems give President Biden a pass on it all:
Delivering the promised 500 million tests will a significant logistical challenge, as well as developing a website that can handle a potential surge in traffic, experts say.
Story from last week: https://t.co/bofCoHwM3L
— Ben Leonard (@_BenLeonard_) January 11, 2022
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member