Montana will receive 650,000 rapid COVID-19 tests later this month. Until then, the state health department says a national shortage on the tests has prevented orders from getting filled.
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services says it has pending orders for nearly 300,000 tests, but it’s unclear when those tests will arrive.
Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office announced it secured tests from another manufacturer and will make them available at no cost to Montanans starting Jan. 24. The tests are being paid for through federal grant funding. In the same announcement Thursday, Gianforte criticized the Biden administration for not fulfilling its promise to make tests readily available to Americans.
The Biden administration announced Friday that Americans can begin ordering free tests from the federal government on Jan. 19, and insurance companies are now required to cover up to eight tests per individual monthly.
Federal health officials say COVID transmission in Montana is high.
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