The U.S. National Institutes of Health reported Oct. 14 that it has awarded contracts in the amount of $77.7 million for development and manufacture of a dozen new rapid tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The monies were awarded under the NIH’s Rapid Development of Diagnostics (RADx) program, and will add seven viral antigen detection and five viral RNA detection tests to the suite of offerings. all with an eye toward more rapid turn-around of test results. The news of the new round of RADx grants was followed by 24 hours the announcement that the Department of Health and Human Services has extended the public health emergency (PHE) for the COVID-19 pandemic for another three months.