May 20, 2020

Manchin, Capito Announce $2.5 Million To Expand COVID-19 Testing At Rural West Virginia Health Clinics

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $2,571,994 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for rural health clinics across West Virginia to expand COVID-19 testing services. This funding is provided by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act that President Trump signed into law on April 24th.

“As West Virginia begins to reopen, we must continue to rapidly expand COVID-19 testing capabilities across the state,” said Senator Manchin. “Our health centers are on the front lines of this pandemic and I continue to hear from our providers that they need more PPE and testing equipment to care for West Virginians and provide rapid COVID-19 testing. This funding will help our healthcare providers expand testing, and I will keep advocating for widespread testing and providing our healthcare workers with the support they need to care for our neighbors and loved ones during this crisis.”

“As I have said before, the ability to test for COVID-19 is an essential aspect in West Virginia’s ability to re-open. As our state continues our comeback, the health and safety of our residents is the top priority. Providing these crucial testing resources to our health centers allows us to service all West Virginians, including those in our most rural areas. I am encouraged by the progress our state has made during this pandemic, making it even more important that we continue to do all we can to protect our families and our communities. I will continue to advocate for increased COVID-19 testing resources for West Virginia and monitor the status of our state as we continue to respond to challenges created by COVID-19,” said Senator Capito.