Biden Faces Winter Covid Surge as Funds, Public Interest Dry Up

Only around 20 million Americans have updated vaccines
President enlists CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens to aid effort

President Joe Biden receives a third Covid-19 vaccine dose in September 2021. — President Joe Biden receives a third Covid-19 vaccine dose in September 2021.
Photographer: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

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By Josh Wingrove and Justin Sink

October 25, 2022 at 9:00 AM UTC

Updated on

October 25, 2022 at 6:31 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

President Joe Biden is urging a vaccination push as he is braces for a winter wave of Covid-19 cases that could again drive up hospitalizations and deaths, but this time without a blank check to fight the surge.

Congressional Republicans have blocked more funding for vaccines and treatments, forcing the government to scrounge what money it can for vaccines and treatments and to lean on the private sector for care. That’s raised questions about whether stocks of tests, vaccines, and Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid treatment pills will last.