White House says COVID-19 vaccines, treatments could be rationed without more funds
LA TimesThe White House is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more money for fighting COVID-19. “But we’re looking at all the scenarios and planning for all of them.” He said the administration was “getting much more into the scenario-planning business to make sure that we know what may be ahead of us so we can plan for it and obviously also lay those out in front of Congress.” Jha, who declined to put a specific projection on potential loss of life, has become the face of the administration’s efforts to persuade Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion for COVID-19 response. “But the negotiations around it have not yet begun, partly because we’re waiting for resources.” He added: “The truth is that other countries are in conversations with the manufacturers and starting to kind of advance their negotiations.” The U.S., he said, doesn’t have enough money to purchase additional booster vaccines for anyone who wants one. “Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to buy enough vaccines for every American who wants one once these new generations of vaccines come out in the fall and winter,” he said.