COVID-19 Testing Board (E.O. 13996)

Summary

Sets up a COVID-19 Testing Board to increase testing, make it affordable, and create a public health workforce to fight future health threats.

What problem does this solve?

The country lacked a coordinated national strategy for COVID-19 testing, leading to shortages, high costs, and unequal access for important groups. This order creates a central Testing Board to oversee testing efforts and establishes a public health workforce to handle current and future health crises.

What does this order do?

Establishes the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board

Creates a new board, led by the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, to manage the federal government's efforts on COVID-19 testing.

Makes COVID-19 testing more affordable

Directs federal agencies to find ways to provide free COVID-19 testing for people without health insurance and to make sure health plans cover testing costs.

Creates the U.S. Public Health Job Corps

Requires a plan for a new program to train people for contact tracing, vaccination outreach, and providing other health services to communities.

Expands testing for schools and high-risk groups

Instructs the Testing Board to find ways to increase testing for schools, essential workers, long-term care facilities, and other at-risk communities.

Develops a long-term public health workforce

Requires the Secretary of HHS to create a five-year plan to build a lasting public health workforce that can respond to future pandemics and biological threats.

Who does this affect?

Uninsured individuals
State, local, and Tribal governments
Healthcare workers and other essential workers

What is the real world impact?

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Creates a unified federal response to the pandemic

Establishes a central board to coordinate the government's efforts on COVID-19 testing. This replaces a system where states and local governments had to manage testing on their own, leading to confusion and supply issues.

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Prepares for future health crises

Builds a long-term public health workforce, the U.S. Public Health Job Corps. This creates a trained group of people ready to respond to future pandemics or other biological threats, addressing a known gap in national preparedness.

When does this start?

This order takes effect immediately as of January 21, 2021, and directs agencies to act promptly on its requirements.