NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation launches Project Access Covid Tests (Project ACT) to provide free at-home Covid-19 tests directly to vulnerable Americans. Going live at 11:00am EST on Friday, January 28 at www.AccessCovidTests.org, Project ACT will initially deliver 1.1 million tests to at-risk residents in Arkansas, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio before expanding access across the country.
"We need all-hands-on-deck to get more tests to more people, as soon as possible," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "At a time when too many people cannot access Covid-19 testing, we are proud to bring together partners from across society to empower Americans with the support and information they need to keep themselves safe and healthy."
Through this innovative private-public partnership, States can access tests at a lower price point and allocate supplies efficiently. In the spirit of partnership and urgency, The Rockefeller Foundation provided the initial $7.45 million investment to launch Project ACT with six pioneering State Health Departments. This includes the costs for 1 million iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Tests from test manufacturer iHealth Labs, Inc., and the logistics and distribution associated with the program managed by health technology company CareEvolution and logistics provider and distribution leader Amazon.com. iHealth Labs also covered the cost of the initial freight shipping and provided a 10% donation for an additional 100,000 tests. The all-in price for each test negotiated through this program is $6.50, including delivery and website costs, as compared to the average retail price of $12 in the U.S. for a single test.
As Project ACT gets underway today, state Health Departments are directing an initial number of eligible residents in vulnerable communities to order Covid-19 tests through www.AccessCovidTests.org. Each household will receive 1 kit with five tests within one to two weeks after ordering. No payment information is required — both the tests and shipping are free to eligible residents. The six states determined initial eligibility based on zip codes with the highest risk of Covid-19, using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index combined with state data on Covid-19 burden.
While the program is currently limited to one order, per residential address during this first phase, The Rockefeller Foundation is actively working to bring in new partners to scale the program to additional states over the coming weeks. In addition to building in lessons learned from the initial six pilot states, the Foundation will engage its public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, Inc. (RFCC), to serve as the cost aggregator for the states, providing an "all-in" price that drives down the costs of tests, logistics, and distribution.
As the FDA grants new EUAs and capacity opens up for existing companies, additional manufacturers will be reviewed and added to the program to ensure a sustainable model is available to states planning for the long term. Critical considerations, including eligibility and number of tests per household, will be determined on a state-by-state basis and can be updated in real-time to ensure the program continues to target and reach communities most in need.
Project ACT Partners Voice their Support:
From the outset of this pandemic, The Rockefeller Foundation has worked to resolve the problems cities states, and territories have faced in stopping the chain of transmission of Covid-19. This includes launching the State and Territory Alliance on Testing, where Covid-19 response teams from over 40 states meet regularly to exchange best practices and learn about advances in Covid-19 testing and vaccination management, working to safely reopen K-12 schools, and piloting an equity-first approach to improve Covid-19 vaccination rates among communities of color. Learn more about our Covid-19 response and recovery efforts here: www.rockefellerfoundation.org/covid-19-response.
Launched by The Rockefeller Foundation in September 2020, RF Catalytic Capital, Inc. enables foundations, impact investors, businesses, governments, and other like-minded funders to combine their resources to build funding solutions for social impact and bring about transformational change. To learn more about how the RFCC marshals capital to improve the lives of vulnerable families around the world, visit www.rockefellerfoundation.org/rf-catalytic-capital-inc.
About The Rockefeller FoundationThe Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to healthy and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.
SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation
