The Rockefeller Foundation’s Interstate Testing Alliance Expands to 22 States

The State and Territory Alliance for Testing is dedicated to ramping up Covid-19 testing to reopen communities

NEW YORK | DECEMBER 10, 2020 ─ The Rockefeller Foundation announces that its State and Territory Alliance for Testing (STAT) has more than doubled in size to 22 participants. Launched in August when the nation was facing severe testing shortages and delays, it is the first interstate testing alliance of its kind during the Covid-19 pandemic. STAT is focused on scaling the procurement and deployment of rapid-result, screening tests that are able to quickly detect and help stop outbreaks before they spread. By banding together, the Alliance demonstrates to private manufacturers that there is significant demand to scale up the production of these tests, which deliver results in 15-20 minutes. To date, participating states have used STAT’s leverage to purchase more than three million rapid tests, which are going to schools, nursing homes, and other public settings on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“If we’re going to end this pandemic, we have to work together, and the collective purchasing power of this group sends a powerful market signal to manufacturers to ramp up production of rapid tests,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “That’s why Governors in both parties are participating in in the Alliance, to deploy rapid tests where they’re needed most. Together, they’re creating an early warning system to stop outbreaks before they spread which is key to safely reopening schools, businesses, and the American economy in the interim period before Covid-19 vaccines successfully eliminate the virus.”

Dr. Shah made the announcement during Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s December 9, 2020, Covid-19 Press Update. Illinois is one of the new participants in the Alliance.

“As we look ahead to 2021, here in Illinois we’re not taking our foot off the gas in our efforts to ramp up testing even further, increasing our ability to identify positive cases quickly so that we can eliminate community spread and stop further, outbreaks in their tracks,” said Gov. Pritzker during the press conference. “That work has been made so much better, and easier by the coalition put together by The Rockefeller Foundation.”

Leading America’s National Response to Covid-19

In addition to securing tests, participants meet weekly to share successes and challenges from the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic, learn about the latest technical breakthroughs, and exchange critical information on testing implementation with academia, the private sector, and the federal government.

“We owe it to our teachers, frontline workers, doctors, and nurses to make testing fast and effective.  Regular testing is the best way to protect them—so they can keep protecting us,” said Andrew Sweet, Managing Director of Covid-19 Response and Recovery at The Rockefeller Foundation.

The 12 new participants will join with 10 original charter states, formerly known as The Rockefeller Foundation’s interstate compact. Together, they include:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Oregon
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic mobility.  As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas, and conversations.  For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

Media Contact

The Rockefeller Foundation
Ashley Chang
achang@rockfound.org
(212) 852-8451