NEW YORK – Thermo Fisher Scientific said on Tuesday that it has partnered with Color Health for a COVID-19 testing program for US schools.
Under the program, funded through the Biden Administration's recent allocation of $10 billion for COVID-19 testing, Thermo Fisher will offer integrated COVID-19 testing to school districts nationwide, with support from Color and through a network of testing laboratories.
Thermo Fisher has already been supporting governments and laboratory partners with COVID-19 testing equipment and expertise. The new partnership will draw on Color's expertise serving school districts, employers, universities, and public health departments regarding sample collection and reporting of results.
"As we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most daunting obstacles has been the ability to effectively address the logistical and accessibility challenges for the last mile of healthcare," Color CEO Othman Laraki said in a statement. "This initiative allows us to link individuals in need of COVID-19 tests with available lab capacity near their school or home."
"This program is possible because our industry has already established a strong testing infrastructure during the pandemic and now it's time to make that available where it's needed most urgently," said Mark Stevenson, executive VP and chief operating officer of Thermo Fisher.