US states struggling to meet recommended target of COVID-19 tests: Report

While US President Donald Trump has unveiled his plan of reopening the country amid coronavirus outbreak, an analysis has by international news agency has revealed that a significant number of US states are still falling short of COVID-19 testing levels that are deemed important by medical professionals to safely lift the restrictions and avoiding a second wave of infections. Fast and widespread testing of the novel coronavirus is essential in a bid to trace the novel coronavirus and then flattening the curve of its spread.

However, it has now been derived that at least 41 out of total 50 US states are failing to conduct a wide range of tests and push the number of infections below the key benchmark. Having no proven vaccine or treatment against the fatal COVID-19 disease, the disease has been a struggle for health professionals to contain. Among the states that are currently falling short of the desired target of COVID-19 tests include Texas and Georgia which were also among the states that reopened several businesses. 

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Largest-ever economic relief package in US

Meanwhile, House Democrats passed a $3 trillion relief package with a narrow margin on May 15 but it might face some scrutiny in the Senate as Republicans expressed discontent with the largest-ever economic rescue package in the US. ‘The Heroes Act’ was largely passed along the party lines and if it makes it through the upper house, it would provide at least $1 trillion for both state and local government along with distribution of cash among millions of families in America who have been hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

According to House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Heroes Act is an “urgently -needed legislation to protect the lives and livelihoods” of people in the US  and also the “life of our democracy”. The act would also contribute to battling the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. But while unveiling the guidelines for reopening the country amid coronavirus outbreak, US President Donald Trump has said that “vaccine or no vaccine, we’re back”. Trump also said “it’s very important” to start the process of ‘Opening Up America Again’.

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(With AP inputs)