TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona will receive more than 2 million rapid COVID-19 tests from the federal government in the coming days, Gov. Doug Ducey's office announced Tuesday.
The tests, which can produce results within 15 minutes, will be prioritized for schools and congregate care facilities for vulnerable individuals, according to a news release from the governor's office.
President Trump announced the distribution of the tests at a press conference Monday, promising 150 million tests to be distributed across the country within the coming weeks -- "very, very soon," the president said.
The tests, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, require a nasal swab only in the front of the nose -- not the six-inch swabs that collect samples from the cavity between the nose and mouth.
According to the FDA, which granted emergency use authorization for Abbott's rapid test earlier this year, the test correctly identifies positive COVID-19 cases 97.1% of the time, and negative cases 98.5% of the time.
Arizona has already committed $6 million to Arizona State University to develop similar testing, with priority for first responders, health care workers and those in congregate settings, Gov. Ducey's office said.
