Abbott, Roche Win Biden Contracts to Make Covid Rapid Tests

The U.S. inked a deal to provide 380 million Covid-19 tests manufactured by Abbott Rapid Dx North America, iHealth Lab Inc., and Roche Diagnostics Corp., as part of President Joe Biden‘s effort to provide 1 billion free tests nationwide.

The announcement Thursday marks the next step in Biden’s plan to counter surging cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. At the same time, the U.S. is facing a shortage of tests and long lines persist at testing centers across the country. Retailers are having trouble keeping at-home kits in stock and are raising prices.

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