A worrisome slowdown in federal distribution of coronavirus rapid-screening tests in mid-October was only a temporary aberration due to a production slowdown, federal officials disclosed.

Regular delivery of 1 million weekly tests were to swiftly resume, and last through at least the end of 2020, Mark Parkinson, head of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, confirmed.

The stakes are high because the federal government’s decision to send the devices to various needy nursing homes and assisted living operators has been “a game-changer,” AHCA CEO and President Parkinson said.

“As long as they continue to [send test devices to needy counties], we can comply with the testing requirement and financially be OK,” Parkinson said. “Once they stop sending those tests, we have a real problem.”