PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Health has been allocated $1.48 million in federal funds for efforts to track COVID-19 variants, the state’s congressional delegation announced Wednesday.
The funds come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as part of the American Rescue Plan, to expand COVID-19 genomic sequencing, including to support collection of COVID-19 specimens, sequencing of viruses and data sharing. In Rhode Island, sequencing efforts are coordinated by RIDOH’s State Health Laboratories, the delegation said.
The health department estimates that more than 50% of new cases in the state are being caused by variants of concern as identified by the CDC.
“This federal grant will enable local researchers to conduct genomic sequencing and better identify emerging forms of the virus,” said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., in a statement. “The more reliable scientific data we have the better we can understand, track and stop the spread of variants of concern.”
