The Trump administration will end federal support for 13 community-based COVID-19 testing sites by the end of the month, as the White House looks to other means of financial support for ongoing efforts.
This will particularly impact Texas, which has seen an explosion of cases in recent days, passing 5,000 cases on Tuesday and reaching 5,551 cases Wednesday. It is one of 30 states that, as of Tuesday, saw percentage increases in cases, with hospitalizations rising to match. For 13 days in a row, that state has had record numbers of patients hospitalized with the disease, the Texas Tribune reported this week. Texas also hosts seven of the testing sites to be closed.
The six other affected sites are located in Illinois, New Jersey, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.
Senators from the affected states expressed concern over what the retraction in funding could bring.
“I know there’s concern, concern I share, over some of the statements being made about withdrawing federal support for coronavirus testing in Texas at the end of June,” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said. “It’s pretty clear to me, and I think it’s clear to all of us that with the uptick of cases, now is not a time to retreat from our vigilance in testing. I believe that they need to extend that federal support in Texas, at least until we get this most recent uptick in cases addressed.”
That sentiment was echoed by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who pointed out that the U.S. just recorded is third-highest coronavirus case count since the pandemic began.
“So today, the Trump administration announces that it will cut off federal funding to operate COVID-19 testing sites in Illinois and four other states,” Durbin said. “At a time when expanded testing is critical to conquering this virus and re-opening our economy, President Trump’s decision defies common sense.”
On a call with reporters hosted by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) this week, Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for HHS, stated that, although the federal government would stop directly funding the sites, the amount of testing would not decrease, nor would sites lose resources.
“We are not withdrawing support,” Giroir said. “We are providing federal support in a different way.”
He added that the sites would remain open under state and local control. They will instead be supported by the $11 billion Congress allocated for testing and contact tracing.