Portman Applauds $5 Million Federal Grant for OSU to Address COVID-19 Testing Disparities Among Vulnerable Populations

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for awarding a $5 million, two-year Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx)-UP grant to The Ohio State University. The RADx-UP program supports projects designed to rapidly implement COVID-19 testing strategies in populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The Ohio State University will use the funds to work closely with community organizations, residents, health departments and clinics in 12 Ohio counties with disproportionately high concentrations of minority, underserved, and vulnerable populations. The six urban counties in this project are Butler, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Jefferson, Lucas, and Trumbull, while the six rural counties are Hardin, Meigs, Muskingum, Ross, Scioto, and Washington. The RADx-UP program is funded by resources available thanks to the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Portman supported and was signed into law by President Trump.  

“I applaud the National Institutes of Health for awarding $5 million to The Ohio State University to continue working on strategies to increase COVID-19 testing in the communities most vulnerable and disproportionately impacted by the pandemic,” said Portman. “According to OSU researchers, as of August 1, although only 13.1 percent and four percent of Ohio’s population is Black and/or Hispanic, 26 percent of Ohio’s COVID-19 cases are among Black residents and seven percent are among Hispanic populations. This disproportionate impact is unacceptable. I’m glad The Ohio State University is focused on increasing testing to address the disparities and work with our most vulnerable communities. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure Ohioans have the resources they need during these uncertain times.”  

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