Prognosis
US Reroutes Health-Program Money for New Covid-19 Shot Orders
- Congress has failed to pass new money for pandemic measures
- Shift in funds comes ahead of potential needs this fall
Photographer: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg
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The Biden administration will scale back several health programs in an effort to scavenge enough money to buy next-generation Covid-19 vaccines, according to a White House official.
Congress has for months refused the White House’s requests for billions of dollars in new funding to order vaccines tailored to boost protection against the highly transmissible omicron variant, as well as treatments and diagnostic tools. That’s left US pandemic-response leaders to scale back other Health and Human Services programs to buy new supplies to meet continuing pandemic needs.