President Biden Pressures Congress for Emergency Covid Funds

The federal authorities mentioned not too long ago {that a} fund established to reimburse medical doctors and hospitals was not accepting these claims for virus testing and remedy “resulting from lack of ample funds.”

Whereas new coronavirus case have been falling in the US, a extremely transmissible Omicron subvariant generally known as BA.2 has pushed a surge in circumstances in Europe, and plenty of consultants anticipate that the US could quickly see the identical. Ought to that happen, it will likely be the primary main check of the nation’s new technique of dwelling with the virus whereas limiting its affect.

Across the nation, state and native governments have relaxed restrictions like masks and vaccine mandates. White Home and federal well being officers have been making the case for weeks that Individuals now have the instruments — testing infrastructure, masks and different mitigation methods, and medicines and vaccines — to dwell with the specter of the virus.

In his State of the Union handle, Mr. Biden introduced a brand new “test-to-treat” initiative — a community of pharmacies and different websites the place individuals may be examined for the coronavirus after which obtain antiviral medication in the event that they check optimistic. Greater than 2,000 websites are collaborating, the White Home mentioned. The covid.gov web site incorporates a software to assist individuals discover collaborating areas.

Underneath a banner saying “Discover Covid-19 steering on your neighborhood,” the web site asks customers to enter the identify of the county wherein they dwell. It then identifies whether or not the chance of Covid-19 in that county is low, medium or excessive, relying on components together with the variety of hospitalizations and out there hospital beds.

The location additionally hyperlinks to different authorities web sites, together with vaccines.gov and covidtests.gov, that assist customers entry vaccines and discover close by testing websites.

At a Home listening to on Wednesday, Daybreak O’Connell, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response, mentioned that over 900 million of the billion at-home fast checks President Biden had promised to supply Individuals totally free had been secured, and that over 250 million “top quality” masks, together with the N95 fashion, had been shipped throughout the nation.