US Coronavirus Update: White House Presents Plan To Help States Test 2% Of Their Population

The White House has presented a plan guiding the states on how to expand coronavirus testing across the U.S. It also highlights how they can execute rapid response programs.

The guidelines have come shortly after the State Governers decided to weight the option to gradually lift the lockdown in their respective states allowing people to return to their normal routine as schools and businesses reopen again.

While unveiling the plan, Trump said that he wants the country’s economy to open back again and this plan is to make sure that coronavirus testing in the U.S. is not a problem at all. Trump Administration has been criticized by the State Officials and blamed for slow pace of coronavirus testing in the country.

The plan states the Federal Government’s plan to assist states with having an access to testing supplies, enhancing the process of sample collection, and improve access to testing platforms.

During the meet, Trump also said that he had a call with the state governors and that they did not seem to have any concerns related to testing. The conference call was also used as a platform to discuss listing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the U.S. and reopening of businesses and schools.

"I think you will see a lot of schools open up, even for a short period. It will be a good thing," Trump said. "I know there are some governors who are not necessarily ready to open up the state, but maybe the school systems. The word is safety. Rapid, but safety."

The blueprint of the plan also reveals that the Trump Administration will ensure that every state can test at least 2 percent of its population, which, according to critics, is not enough. However, he further added that many countries already have testing capability to do more than that.

The states, however, remain responsible to procure testing kits for use by itself.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington believes that nothing in the document is new and it will not help accomplish anything. Instead, it just assigns the federal responsibility to the states, which is pathetic.

Even though stay-at-home orders have officially been lifted in many states, it is still preventing people from resuming their role in their businesses because of limited testing capability. Several health experts have warned that coronavirus is likely to persist through the fall and winter, which marks the beginning of the flu season.