Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Federal Government Says States Must Conduct COVID-19 Testing

Steve Herman

   WHITE HOUSE - New national guidelines were unveiled Monday bythe
   federal governmentthat place the onus on the 50 states to conduct
   testing for COVID-19.

   "Testing plans and rapid response programs will be federally supported,
   State managed, and locally executed," according toa documented titled:
   [1]Blueprint for Testing Plans and Rapid Response Programs.

   The federal governmentis to "act as the supplier of last resort,"the
   documentnotes.

   Governors of the states were briefedby President Donald Trump
   andmembersof his administration earlier in the day on a conference
   call.

   The governors are "as thrilled as they can be" and have everything they
   need, Trump asserted during a Rose Garden news conferencelater Monday.

   During the event, heads of several national pharmacy retail chains said
   they planned to double or triple capabilities to conduct COVID-19
   testing in weeks.

   "The testing is not going to be a problem at all," for states
   re-opening their economies, Trumpsaid.

   "We recommend that they do it as quickly as possible, but safely," the
   presidentadded.

   Some states are saying there is still not an adequate testing capacity
   in place to properly monitor the extent of the virus.

   A number ofgovernors havealsohesitated toreopen because they areworried
   that the number of coronavirus cases in their states will rebound or
   increase if social distancing is prematurely relaxed.

References

   1. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Testing-Blueprint.pdf

.