Pre (and post) NYE test... Frequent Covid tests are becoming a necessity, from travel and family gatherings, to entering offices and schools. The US is logging record infections as Omicron surges and makes up 95% of cases. It’s nearly 4X as contagious as Delta among the vaxxed, but has been milder with fewer hospitalizations. Last month, a daily record of 2.3M Covid tests were performed in the US — not counting at-home swabs.
Testing is a pricey habit... especially for people with lower incomes. Free testing is available to everyone in the US through 20K government sites (or 1 per ~17K people). But with hours-long lines at free sites, many are turning to lab tests, which can cost $200+, or $25 home kits. Some of the corporations benefiting:
Testing is out of reach for many… while demand is soaring. Covid testing in the US isn’t easy or affordable when compared to testing in many developed countries. Across Europe, home kits cost much less and are widely available. UK residents can request seven free rapid tests at a time. Even Biden said he's "frustrated.” But some help is coming, like: additional testing sites in six states. Starting mid-January, those with private insurance can file reimbursement claims for home tests — but 150M+ Americans who aren’t privately insured won’t be eligible.