NPR

Vaccines Are Coming, But The U.S. Still Needs More Testing To Stop The Surge

The U.S. conducts nearly 2 million coronavirus tests daily. A new analysis shows millions more are needed to protect the most vulnerable. Use our tool to see how your state is doing.
Cars are lined up at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for coronavirus testing on November 30, 2020. Nearly 2 million people are currently getting tested a day in the U.S.

The nation is at a pivotal moment in the fight against the pandemic. Vaccines are finally starting to roll out, but the virus is spreading faster than ever — and killing thousands of Americans daily. And it will be months before enough people get inoculated to stop it.

That means it's critical to continue the measures that can limit the toll: mask-wearing, hunkering down, hand-washing and testing and contact tracing.

"Vaccines will not obviate the need for testing any time soon," says the dean of the Brown School of Public Health. "It doesn't mean we can let our guard down.

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