COVID Hospitalizations Reach Record High as the White House Rushes to Ramp Up Testing
Ask Students: Why are COVID tests in short supply at the moment, according to this piece? What records have been set recently due to the omicron variant?
Summary
During a recent congressional hearing about the pandemic, there were tough criticisms of the Biden administration and the lack of available testing. Biden has announced plans to ramp up the response, from requiring insurers to pay for rapid at-home testing to making 500 million tests available. Thomas Inglesby, senior advisor to the White House COVID team, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. Watch the video below.
Discussion Questions
- What records have been set recently due to the rise of the omicron COVID variant?
- Who is interviewed in this piece, and what is his role in the White House COVID response?
- How might testing help alleviate some of the stress on institutions around the country, according to this piece?
- Why are COVID tests in short supply at the moment, according to this piece?
- How is the White House planning to make tests more widely available, according to Thomas Inglesby?
Focus Questions
What do you think are some of the ways record hospitalizations for COVID stress systems like hospitals, schools and businesses? What policies do you think are most important to follow until cases of omicron COVID peak and begin to fall again?
Media literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to better understand why testing capacity is so limited?
Additional Resources
COVID testing has become a point of stress in many institutions, including schools. Watch the segment below to see how availability of testing is a point of contention between teachers and city officials in one of the country’s largest school districts.
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