Biden Unveils ‘Test to Treat’ for COVID in State of the Union

March 2, 2022 — In his first State of the Union handle on Tuesday night, President Joe Biden urged Americans to not let their guard down towards COVID-19 and pledged to make extra exams and coverings accessible. On Wednesday, his workforce unveiled plans to get began.

The new National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which officers mentioned would require motion from Congress – focuses on protecting companies and colleges open, enhancing entry to testing and remedy, and stopping future public well being crises.

“By protecting against and treating covid, preparing for any new variants, preventing economic and school shutdowns, and vaccinating the world and saving lives, the president’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan will enable us to move forward safely to get back to our more normal routines,” mentioned White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients at a Wednesday briefing.

Zients elaborated on the “test to treat” initiative the president talked about throughout his State of the Union handle on Tuesday, which might increase entry to antiviral drugs and different COVID-19 therapies.

This month, a whole bunch of one-stop websites will open throughout the nation that may permit individuals to obtain remedy for COVID-19 instantly after testing optimistic, Zients mentioned. Locations will embody native pharmacy clinics, group well being facilities, long-term care services, and veterans’ well being services.

Congressional leaders have already been briefed on the necessity for near-term funding to safe extra vaccines, antivirals therapies, and continued vaccines analysis, the White House mentioned. The quantity wanted was not disclosed.

Top infectious illness knowledgeable Anthony S. Fauci, MD, mentioned the plan’s deal with vaccine analysis and growth would assist to make sure that any “updated vaccines can be developed, approved and manufactured in approximately 100 days.”

Along with increasing entry to viral therapies and exams, Biden’s new plan would handle lengthy COVID and psychological well being by directing the federal authorities to speed up its efforts to detect, forestall and deal with these points.

Zients known as the president’s plan “robust and comprehensive,” however famous, “the execution of the plan requires additional funding from Congress.”

Some 950,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, however Biden didn’t point out the pandemic once more till 36 minutes into his speech. He first addressed the Russian invasion of Ukraine, inflation, and the infrastructure legislation.

Later, Biden revealed a brand new “test to treat” program by which individuals who check optimistic for coronavirus at a pharmacy can be supplied Pfizer’s antiviral Paxlovid at no cost, “on the spot.” The tablet reduces the prospect of hospitalization by 90%, the president mentioned. Pfizer will present the U.S. authorities with 1 million drugs in March and greater than 2 million in April.

What’s extra, beginning the week of March 7, a brand new batch of COVID-19 exams can be made accessible for Americans to order for dwelling supply by means of COVIDtests.gov. The president additionally famous that he plans to ask Congress for more cash to maintain funding free vaccines, exams, masks, and coverings.

Last 12 months, the president didn’t give a standard State of the Union, as a substitute making an handle to a joint session of Congress virtually 100 days after he took workplace. The viewers was restricted as a result of COVID-related social distancing restrictions.

For this 12 months’s handle, attendees have been required to take a COVID-19 check earlier than getting into the House of Representatives chambers. But given the brand new CDC steering issued Feb. 25 that relaxed masks guidelines, the 535 members of Congress, visitors, and dignitaries who have been invited to this 12 months’s occasion weren’t required to put on masks.

But some Republicans refused to attend over the COVID testing requirement.

“I’m NOT permitted on the House floor tonight despite the fact that the 17th District of Florida voted me to represent them in the People’s House because I didn’t go through all of Dictator Pelosi’s medical protocol and COVID testing,” Florida Rep. Greg Steube mentioned in a tweet.

Meanwhile, “I’m wearing a mask tonight at the #SOTU because we all need to remember that the immunocompromised and those over 60 remain at higher risk of severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19,” Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts mentioned on Twitter.

Divisions over COVID-related restrictions and COVID vaccines are additionally obvious in polling. While 62% of adults in a Kaiser Family Foundation ballot mentioned they suppose the worst of the pandemic “is behind us,” extra Democrats and independents than Republicans mentioned that lifting restrictions might improve the variety of deaths and go away immune-compromised individuals behind.

Biden indicated that he would proceed to elevate extra restrictions, saying it’s “time for Americans to get back to work” and “our kids need to be in school.”

He additionally urged Americans to “stop looking at COVID-19 as a partisan dividing line and see it for what it is: A God-awful disease.”

“Let’s stop seeing each other as enemies and start seeing each other for who we really are: fellow Americans,” the president mentioned.