Trump Expected To Announce $750 Million Deal To Expand Rapid Coronavirus Testing During RNC

On the heels of an announcement by Abbott Laboratories that it received emergency use authorization for its rapid coronavirus test that would cost $5 and produce results in 15 minutes, it is expected that President Trump will lift the wraps off a plan to expand rapid coronavirus testing, Politico reported.

Trump is expected to make the announcement on Thursday, saying that a $750 million deal was made with Abbott to acquire 150 million tests for deployment in nursing homes, schools, and other high-risk areas, sources told Politico.

In its announcement on Thursday, Abbott said it will have the capacity to produce 50 million tests per month, starting in October.

The sources told Politico Trump will talk about his coronavirus response as part of his address during the Republican National Convention on Thursday evening. Here, Trump will boast about the Abbott tests being made in the U.S.A., the sources said.

Trump has come under criticism for his stance on coronavirus testing, saying that testing needed to be slowed down as it makes the country look bad. The news of the deal with Abbott also comes as the Trump administration was suspected of pressuring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ease its guidelines for coronavirus testing.

The CDC no longer requires asymptomatic people who have come into contact with someone who has been infected with the virus to get a tested. The Department of Health and Human Services has maintained the changes in testing guidelines were made on the advice of medical professionals.

The U.S. has reported over 5.8 million positive coronavirus cases, with nearly 180,000 COVID-19 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.