White House Asks for Another $20 Billion in COVID Money to ‘Stop Winter Wave’

Just when the world (or rather, the US) was finally coming around to the notion that the COVID pandemic might be over, the White House has offered the latest reminder that this is simply not the case.

As COVID cases surge in the US, White House COVID response coordinator Ashish Jha said Sunday morning that the Biden Administration will need to authorize another $20 billion+ in COVID spending to pay for the next round of shots needed to stop another brutal winter wave later this year.

Specifically, Jha called on Congress to approve $22.5 billion, a number that will help the federal government replenish its dwindling vaccine supply. If it doesn’t the US “is going to run out of treatments…we’re going to run out of testing.”

Fortunately, at-home tests are available at most pharmacies in the US these days.