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Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

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Some areas of U.S. facing shortages of nasal swabs, key for coronavirus testing

Caitlin Owens, author of Vitals

Photo: Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via Getty Images

Some areas of the U.S. are facing a shortage of nasal swabs, an essential material to test people for the novel coronavirus.

Why it matters: Coronavirus testing in the U.S. has been woefully lagging behind other countries — a criticism the Trump administration is trying to fix. Labs have been short on other materials like "RNA extraction" kits that are needed for testing.

Yes, but: The shortages aren't national — rather, they're confined to specific locations, one source with direct knowledge told me.

  • The Food and Drug Administration has published a list of alternative materials that can be used.

Go deeper: Why the U.S. is so far behind on coronavirus testing

Go deeper

Kadia Goba
45 mins ago - Politics & Policy

House passes $1.9 trillion COVID relief package

Photo: Screenshot via C-SPAN

The House approved President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief package on a 219-212 vote early Saturday morning, sending it to the Senate for a possible rewrite before it gets to Biden's desk.

The big picture: The vote was a critical first step for the package, which includes $1,400 cash payments for many Americans, a national vaccination program, ramped-up COVID testing and contact tracing, state and local funding and money to help schools reopen.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Jacob Knutson
8 hours ago - Health

Biden says it's "not the time to relax" after touring vaccination site

President Biden speaking after visiting a FEMA Covid-19 vaccination facility in Houston on Feb. 26. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden said Friday that "it's not the time to relax" coronavirus mitigation efforts and warned that the number of cases and hospitalizations could rise again as new variants of the virus emerge.

Why it matters: Biden, who made the remarks after touring a vaccination site in Houston, echoed CDC director Rochelle Walensky, who said earlier on Friday that while the U.S. has seen a recent drop in cases and hospitalizations, "these declines follow the highest peak we have experienced in the pandemic."

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Health: Most COVID-19 survivors can weather risk of reinfection, study says — "Twindemic" averted as flu reports plummet amid coronavirus crisis
  2. Vaccine: FDA advisory panel endorses J&J COVID vaccine for emergency use — About 20% of U.S. adults have received first vaccine dose, White House says — New data reignites the debate over coronavirus vaccine strategy.
  3. Economy: What's really going on with the labor market.
  4. Local: All adult Minnesotans will likely be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by summer — Another wealthy Florida community receives special access to COVID-19 vaccine.
  5. Sports: Poll weighs impact of athlete vaccination.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow