The Covid-19 soon anchored in normality in the United States. President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday, January 30, that he would end, on May 11, 2023, the state of health emergency that had been in effect for nearly three years.
This decision will de facto relieve the federal powers of emergencies and public health of the management of the endemic threat. This will fall to the usual health agencies. Covid-19 will have the same action plans as the flu, for example. The federal relief fund dedicated to Covid-19 will be less funded and the development of vaccines and treatments will no longer be under the leadership of the federal government.
On March 13, 2020, the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, declared the Covid-19 pandemic a national emergency. Since then, this state has been constantly extended since Joe Biden took office in January 2021. It was due to end soon, the White House is granting a final extension until May 11.
Biden’s announcement comes amid opposition to resolutions introduced this week by Republicans in the House of Representatives advocating for an immediate end to the state of health emergency. Oklahoma elected Tom Cole took Joe Biden’s health policy to task: “The country is largely back to normal. In everyday life, Americans returned to work or school without any restrictions on their activities. It’s time for the government to face the facts: the pandemic is over. The elected officials led by Kevin McCarthy are also asking that investigations into the federal government’s response to Covid-19 be carried out.
Millions of Americans will have to put their hands in their pockets
In a statement, the Office of Management and Budget, the most important office of the American presidency, had expressed concern at the request of the Republicans: “An abrupt end to the state of public health emergency would create chaos and a far-reaching uncertainty throughout the healthcare system, for states, hospitals and doctors’ offices, and especially for tens of millions of Americans.”
The outcome is therefore postponed, but it remains brutal. Direct consequences of the end of the provision: Millions of Americans are expected to lose their health coverage related to Covid-19 in the coming months.
The government will no longer buy vaccine doses for its population. Pfizer, the main supplier, has estimated the price of an injection at $130, which patients, or insurance, will have to pay out of pocket. Only 15% of Americans have received the fourth dose, which is free and recommended since the fall of 2022.
A scenario that will not only apply to doses of vaccines but also to tests and treatments for the disease. Again, Covid-19 will be considered like all other diseases.
More than 1.1 million people have died from Covid-19 in the United States since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recorded another 3,700 deaths between January 23 and 29.