From the CDC: January 3, 2022 Monday Feature: Testing Supply Inquiries 

CDC, ASPR, and the HHS Testing and Diagnostics Workgroup (TDWG) offer the following information and programs to partners interested in federal government support for testing.  

1. Testing in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic 

CDC’s Increased Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program supports no-cost testing in pharmacies and other specific locations in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Please contact ICATT at [email protected]. CDC’s Operation Expanded Testing (OpET) supports no-cost, school-based testing for K-12 students and congregate settings in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Please contact the ICATT program at [email protected].

2. Surge testing in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic 

CDC’s ICATT program can help states implement temporary surge testing sites to respond to demands for large volumes of testing. Requests for placement of surge testing sites in your state can be initiated by simultaneously contacting the ICATT program at [email protected] and by submitting an RRF (Resource Request Form) to FEMA. The RRF is available online at FEMA WebEOC and accessible to state emergency management officials. Requests for surge testing sites through this program are only accepted through state health departments. Local health departments should coordinate with their state health department to apply. CDC staff will work with requestors to discuss site requirements while the RRF application process takes place.  

3. Availability of laboratory and testing supplies 

The federal government currently distributes swabs and viral transport media (VTM) directly to health departments. No other testing supplies are available directly from the federal government at this time. If your jurisdiction would like to request swabs or VTM, please send a request to CDC at [email protected]. These requests should not use the FEMA/RRF system. CDC and ASPR staff may be able to advise on supply availability in the commercial market and the use of state ELC (Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity) funds for procurement of laboratory or testing supplies. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

4. Availability of Over-The-Counter (OTC) Tests 

CDC and ASPR are not currently  distributing OTC tests directly to state health departments. There is an ongoing distribution program of 50 million OTC tests to community health centers/federally qualified health centers (FHQCs), food banks, and rural health clinics. Email [email protected] with inquiries about this federal distribution of OTC tests. The administration is also in the process of acquiring and distributing 500 million OTC tests. Plans are taking shape to send these tests directly to households at no cost, once they are available. There are currently no plans to distribute them through state health departments.

5. Availability of Point-of-Care (POC) Tests  

The distribution of point-of-care tests to nursing homes (NH) and long-term care facilities (LTCF) is intended to supplement existing testing capabilities for staff testing. NHs and LTCFs that receive POC tests directly from the manufacturer will continue to receive them while their facility meets all eligibility criteria. These allocations are based on a data-driven strategy that considers both Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) staffing estimates as well as current positivity rates by county. As new data on positivity rates or outbreak status becomes available, allocation sizes will be adjusted accordingly.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWRs)

• Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Children and Adolescents Aged here.
• Interim Estimate of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) Vaccine in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Adolescents Aged 12–17 Years — Arizona, July–December 2021. Link here.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Safety in Children Aged 5–11 Years — United States, November 3–December 19, 2021. Link here.
• Investigation of a SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Cluster — Nebraska, November–December 2021. Link here.

CDC Resources

New & Updated

• Barriers to Equity in Childhood COVID-19 Vaccination provides information about COVID-19 vaccination barriers, which children are at the greatest risk, and find out lessons learned from schools and families.
• Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages have been updated to enhance protection for healthcare personnel, patients, and visitors and to address concerns about potential impacts on the healthcare system given a surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
• CDC COVID Data Tracker has been updated to include Nowcast, a model that estimates more recent proportions of circulating variants and enables timely public health action. CDC is providing weekly Nowcast estimates which will be updated every week on Tuesday.
• Holiday Celebrations includes an updated section on how to protect yourself. Small and Large Gatherings includes an updated section on self-testing.

School and Work

• School-Located Vaccination Clinics: Best Practices for School Districts provides information on how school district administrators can work with vaccine providers to set up vaccination clinics in places that K–12 students and their parents know and trust.
• Frequently Asked Questions for Parents and Caregivers about COVID-19 Precautions in Schools and Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 for School Administrators provide information on commonly asked questions regarding COVID-19 in K-12 settings. Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs has recently been updated to add a section on Test to Stay with information from several studies including the UK, California, and Illinois and relevant references.
• Start-Up Guide for COVID-19 Testing in Schools
• Family FAQs About Testing 
• School Learning Modalities (HHS Protect Public Data Hub)

Community

• Communication Resources for Travelers
• CDC COVID-19 Travel
• 12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community
• Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you: Vaccines.gov 

o   Individuals in the U.S. can utilize a text messaging service to locate vaccine locations, available in both English and Spanish. Individuals can text their ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX) and 822862 (VACUNA) to find three locations nearby that have vaccines available.

Science and Data

Omicron Variant

• Science Brief: Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant provides an overview of the current scientific information regarding the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant. New data continue to emerge, and recommendations will be updated periodically, as needed.
• Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know provides information on what is currently known about the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant.  
• What You Need to Know About Variants

COVID-19 Testing Guidance

• Science Brief: Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 includes a section on mask wearing among children and data on the association of mask wearing with new infections.
• Testing Strategies for SARS-CoV-2 describes and compares different types of testing strategies for SARS-CoV-2.
• Self-Testing provides information on when, why, and how to use a self-test for COVID-19.

Influenza (flu) Guidance

• Increasing Seasonal Influenza A (H3N2) Activity, Especially Among Young Adults and in College and University Settings, During SARS-CoV-2 Co-Circulation
• FAQ: CDC Distribution of COVID-19 Assays
• CDC Digital Media Toolkit: 2021-22 Flu Season

COVID-19 Vaccines

• CDC Endorses ACIP’s Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations: On December 17, 2021, CDC endorsed the updated recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the prevention of COVID-19, expressing a clinical preference for individuals to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine over Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
• CDC Expands COVID-19 Booster Recommendations to 16-and-17-year-olds: CDC booster recommendations encourage everyone 16 and older to receive a booster shot. Although we don’t have all the answers on the Omicron variant, initial data suggests that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen the protection against Omicron and other variants.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
• COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens
• COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant People to Prevent Serious Illness, Deaths, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes from COVID-19: CDC strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy because the benefits of vaccination outweigh known or potential risks.
• Science Brief: Evidence Used to Update the List of Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19
• Quick Conversation Guide on COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
• Resources to Promote the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children & Teens
• Using the COVID-Vac Tool to Assess Your COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Staffing and Operations Needs

References to non-CDC sites are provided as a service and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed were current as of the date of publication. 

Kind regards,

Shyonna Johnson, MPH(She/Her)

STLT Policy & Public Health Partnerships 

State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support Task Force (STLT TF) 

COVID-19 Response 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS H21-5, Atlanta, GA 30349-4027