The Food and Drug Administration has opened the door to COVID-19 testing that could be— if companies don't find the rules too burdensome. The FDA template spells out how a sample is to be collected and analyzed without the need to send a sample to a lab for analysis. The template also outlines how accurate the tests must be, with slightly lower standards than lab-based tests. It's not clear, however, how long it will take the technology to catch up.
Florida reported more than 200 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, bringing the state death toll to 6,333. The number of new COVID-19 cases increased by 9,446, marking the 36th consecutive day the state has recorded more than 5,000 new cases.California Gov. Gavin Newsom is withholding federal coronavirus relief funds from two Central Valley cities defying his public health orders by allowing all businesses to reopen amid the pandemic.
Gohmert joins a growing number of lawmakers to contract the virus. The Texas Republican has previously refused to wear a mask while speaking on the House floor, and reporters on Capitol Hill have frequently spotted him without one. Citing infection surges in many states that have forced them to roll back business reopenings, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said data show credit card spending falling and employment faltering in recent weeks.