Governor Larry Hogan announced an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation and six states to significantly expand the use of rapid coronavirus antigen tests. The six states include Maryland, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia. The group plans to collectively buy 3 million rapid coronavirus antigen tests.
I’m proud to be joined by @LouisianaGov Edwards, @MassGovernor Baker, Michigan @GovWhitmer, Ohio @GovMikeDeWine, and @GovernorVA Northam to announce a major bipartisan interstate compact with the @RockefellerFdn to expand the use of rapid point-of-care antigen tests.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 4, 2020
The Rockefeller Foundation will assist in facilitating financing for the purchase of the COVID-19 tests.
Rockefeller Foundation + the Governors of Maryland, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio & Virginia have launched a new bipartisan compact to increase rapid antigen testing to slow the spread of #Covid19 and continue to safely reopen the states.
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— The Rockefeller Foundation (@RockefellerFdn) August 4, 2020
The states intend to increase the use of rapid antigen testing to better detect outbreaks more quickly, and expand long-term testing in schools, workplaces, and nursing homes.
Governor Hogan negotiated the agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation during his term as Chair of the National Governors Association. It is anticipated that additional states, cities, and local governments will join the agreement.
Each of the six states has been authorized by the FDA to purchase 500,000 tests per state, for a total of 3 million tests. The two U.S. manufacturers of the rapid antigen tests are Becton Dickinson and Quidel. Results are available in 15 to 20 minutes.
The states plan to coordinate policies and protocols for the use of the tests and expect the cooperative purchasing agreement to result in a sustainable and cost-effective solution to the shortages and delays in testing that have been occurring across the country.
