NEBRASKA- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is delivering $71,519,806 in new funding to Nebraska to support testing for COVID-19. In total, $10.25 billion in funding is being provided by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to states, territories, and local jurisdictions through CDC’s existing Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) cooperative agreement. This funding is part of the Trump Administration’s broader effort to ensure that states, territories, and tribes have the resources necessary to meet their testing goals as they begin to reopen.
This funding from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act will provide critical support to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, conduct surveillance, trace contacts, and related activities. These funds, along with the previous funding support CDC provided, will help states, territories, and localities with their efforts to re-open America.
“As the Nation cautiously begins the phased approach to reopening, this considerable investment in expanding both testing and contact tracing capacity for states, localities, territories, and tribal communities is essential,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD. “Readily accessible testing is a critical component of a four-pronged public health strategy – including rigorous contact tracing, isolation of confirmed cases, and quarantine.”
Each Governor or designee of each State, locality, or territory receiving funds shall submit to HHS its plan for COVID-19 testing, including goals for the remainder of the calendar year 2020, to include:
- Number of tests needed, month-by-month to include diagnostic, serological, and other tests, as appropriate
- Month-by-month estimates of laboratory and testing capacity, including related to workforce, equipment and supplies, and available tests
- Description of how the resources will be used for testing, including easing any COVID-19 community mitigation policies
Jurisdictions will use the funding they receive to meet the testing goals laid out in their COVID-19 testing plans, including purchasing supplies (such as test kits and other testing supplies, as necessary).
To view the list of funding recipients, please visit here.
At Governor Pete Ricketts Daily briefing May 18th, Ricketts announced that COVID-19 testing will come to several new communities this week. Test Nebraska will continue in Lincoln and Omaha, and other Test Nebraska mobile sites will open in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Thedford, West Point, and Dakota City. Additionally, the National Guard will conduct testing in David City, Fremont, Omaha, and Wahoo in conjunction with the State’s public health lab.
