President Biden on Wednesday announced the launch of a COVID.gov website that will serve as a “one-stop shop” for information on testing and vaccination sites and test-to-treat centers that provide infected persons with groundbreaking antiviral treatments.
The White House said the U.S. needs a web-based clearinghouse because there are 90,000 vaccination sites and 2,000 sites where people can receive treatment pills after testing positive.
It pointed to more than 400 million high-grade masks available for free at pharmacies and community health centers, plus the number of Americans who will be curious about the level of spread in their neighborhoods and whether to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Now, with a click of a button, people will be able to find where to access all of these tools, as well as receive the latest CDC data on the level of COVID-19 in their community,” a White House fact sheet said.
The website’s landing page includes a search box that lets users input their U.S. counties to find local information on masks, treatment, vaccines and testing.
The search results tell users if the CDC-defined level of spread is low, medium or high in the specific county. Universal masking is recommended in high zones.
The effort is part of Mr. Biden’s effort to pivot to a new phase in which the coronavirus is managed in the background of society like other diseases.
The White House frequently points to the availability of vaccines and boosters that can stave off severe disease and treatments, while limited in supply, that can be administered intravenously or even in pill form.
“Because of the lifesaving tools we now have, America is in a new moment in the pandemic. The country is moving forward safely and people are getting back to their more normal routines,” the White House said.
The administration faces headwinds, however. A fast-moving BA.2 variant is now the dominant strain in the U.S. after beating up Europe, and Mr. Biden is struggling to procure $22 billion in COVID-19 emergency funding from Congress.
Democratic leaders are negotiating with Republicans, who say the administration should find existing virus funding or offset any new spending.
Mr. Biden is expected to sound a note of urgency in a speech Wednesday on the COVID-19 situation. His administration said testing labs are no longer reimbursed by a federal fund, so the uninsured must pay more than $100 for virus testing in some instances.
The government is struggling to buy monoclonal antibody treatments for states and will run out of cash to buy booster shots that could be recommended for the general population later this year.
A White House official said Mr. Biden will “send an urgent and direct message to Congress to act swiftly to secure funding for our COVID response, and emphasize that the progress we have made is at severe risk if they fail to act.”
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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