The federal government is ending its support for 13 drive-thru coronavirus testing sites on June 30, urging states to take over their operations - even as cases spike in several parts of the country.
The sites, which HHS says are spread across five states, are the remnants of a larger federal testing program established early in the pandemic. Seven sites are in Texas, which is experiencing record numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
The background: In March, HHS and FEMA set up 4 testing sites in 12 states. During the height of the pandemic, in early April, HHS tried to offload control of the drive-thru sites to states. The department reversed courseafter governors objected.