As the Omicron variant ravages the globe, COVID-19 tests are once again in short supply. However, a recent ABC NEWS article discussed the FDA’s decision to extend the shelf life on a million expired rapid tests that were sitting in a warehouse in Florida. Gov. DeSantis’ administration said that the Abbott BinaxNOW tests had sat idle in the warehouse and expired in December. Federal regulators approved a three-month extension allowing the tests to be used through March.
The stockpile was discovered in late December by Nikki Fried, the Florida Agricultural Commissioner who plans on running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination this year. She told ABC News that when she saw long lines for tests last month, her team began calling local health departments to determine the cause of the delays. Eventually, they reached a high-ranking official in the governor’s administration who revealed the surplus.
