The U.S. Bought Rapid Covid-19 Tests to Help Control the Virus. Now Many Are Unused. – The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. government distributed millions of fast-acting tests for diagnosing coronavirus infections at the end of last year to help tamp down outbreaks in nursing homes and prisons and allow schools to reopen.

But some states havent used many of the tests, due to logistical hurdles and accuracy concerns, squandering a valuable tool for managing the pandemic. The first batches, shipped to states in September, are approaching their six-month expiration dates.

At least 32 million of the 142 million BinaxNOW rapid Covid-19 tests distributed by the U.S. government to states starting last year werent used as of early February, according to a Wall Street Journal review of their inventories.

The unused tests cost the federal government $160 million, according to the review, which calculated the cost by multiplying the per-unit price paid by the federal government times the number of unused tests states reported in response to the Journals queries.

The demand has just not been there, said Myra Kunas, Minnesotas interim public health lab director.

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The U.S. Bought Rapid Covid-19 Tests to Help Control the Virus. Now Many Are Unused. - The Wall Street Journal