The Pennsylvania Department of Health stressed Tuesday that COVID-19 virus testing is still important, even as the number of vaccinations grows.
Department of Health Senior Adviser for COVID-19 Response Lindsey Mauldin said that as case counts across the country continue to rise, anyone exposed to the virus or showing symptoms should get tested.
“Testing is the most effective way to identify and contain the virus," Mauldin detailed. "That is why the department has invested so much time and energy in making testing widely available to anyone who wants it.”
Mauldin touted the state’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing. However, she says that after all those efforts, about 5.5 million Pennsylvanians have been tested since the start of the pandemic. That is about two out of every five people who live in the state.
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Last week, the CDC and National Institutes of Health announced plans to offer free, in-home, rapid tests to two communities in North Carolina and Tennessee. The hope is that they will show how the in-home tests can slow or even stop the spread of the virus.
Mauldin said there are no concrete plans for Pennsylvania to push for cheap, widespread in-home COVID-19 testing.
“We always are working with the CDC and our federal partners to identify the best and most efficient way to test our population, and will continue to do so," Mauldin added.
Mauldin said testing at colleges has proven effective. She also revealed how testing initiatives for K-12 schools will soon be prioritized.
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