The US government said it will this week pause providing free Covid-19 self-test kits for US residents due to a lack of funding.
"Ordering through this programme will be suspended on Friday, September 2 because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests," says the Covid.gov website, where US residents can order tests.
The website has been live since the Omicron surge in January, when people could order rapid antigen tests for their household.
President Joe Biden's administration has been calling on Congress to approve at least $22 billion for its Covid package since the spring, as the lack of funding has depleted access to free tools for Americans.
A senior administration official told NBC News that the US was saving a stockpile of tests in case of a surge in autumn and winter, which could mean the website will reopen for orders.
The move could mark a change in the US government's response to the pandemic and an end to free tests and treatments.
"My hope is that in 2023, you're going to see the commercialisation of almost all of these products," White House Covid-19 response team co-ordinator Dr Ashish Jha said this month. "Some of that is actually going to begin ... in the days and weeks ahead."
The US health agency has recorded a seven-day average of 88,594 daily cases, although that is likely to be an undercount.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
The view from The National
