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The covid-19 response plan President Biden unveiled Thursday envisions a sweeping expansion of coronavirus testing, aiming to make quick-turnaround test kits cheaper and more accessible than ever as the country tries to quell the wave of infections driven by the delta variant. Leaning on test manufacturers to ramp up production, the administration wants to send hundreds of millions of rapid and at-home tests to local clinics, schools and other establishments nationwide in hopes of making it easier for people to catch infections and contain outbreaks early. Major retailers have also joined the push, offering at-home tests to consumers at less than two-thirds the normal price for the next three months. (Hawkins and Nirappil, 9/12)

CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. have begun limiting the number of at-home tests customers can buy online or in stores as they work with test suppliers to ensure they are able to meet demand. Meanwhile, employers already are having a tougher time securing bulk tests to screen employees as retail pharmacies and other testing providers ration supplies, according to consulting group Mercer LLC. (Terlep and Abbott, 9/12)

As part of his new COVID-19 plan, President Biden is backing a push to expand testing — including at-home rapid tests. DIY tests offer the potential to regularly surveil people for COVID-19 and get them out of circulation before they can infect others. But the strategy will only be effective if the tests are extremely cheap and plentiful. (Walsh, 9/11)

KHN: Why At-Home Rapid Covid Tests Cost So Much, Even After Biden’s Push For Lower Prices 

Rapid at-home covid tests are flying off store shelves across the nation and are largely sold out online as the delta variant complicates a return to school, work and travel routines. But at $10 or $15 a test, the price is still far too high for regular use by anyone but the wealthy. A family with two school-age children might need to spend $500 or more a month to try to keep their family — and others — safe. (Norman, 9/13)

A coronavirus-related lawsuit filed in Nebraska that hinges on trade secrets and involves two Utah companies at the center of Utah’s response to the pandemic will proceed. The public records lawsuit seeks information that validated a diagnostic test provided by Orem’s Nomi Health for Nebraska’s multimillion-dollar COVID-19 testing program. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Salt Lake Tribune board chair Paul Huntsman, seeks an unredacted copy of the validation report maintained by Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The report affirms the test’s process and technical aspects. A Nebraska district judge ruled Thursday an expert witness can review the report and determine if it includes trade secrets. (Becker, 9/12)