As we pass the two-year mark since the early lockdowns, it appears the U.S. government is pretending the pandemic is over. Federal funding for COVID-19 relief has run out, and Congress has failed to immediately pass the White House's desperately needed request for more funding. Yes, you read that right -- nearly one million Americans have died and we have run out of federal COVID-19 relief money to support testing, treatment, and vaccinations.
Sign the petition now to demand that Congress pass the White House's request for COVID-19 relief funding immediately!
The consequences of this lack of federal funding are especially dire for poor communities and communities of color. The uninsured will be hit first and the hardest; not only are tests no longer free, they will cost, on average, over $100 dollars. We know from a report from the Federal Reserve that nearly half of Americans would be financially destroyed by an unexpected expense of several hundred dollars – so who is going to be able to afford the regular testing for all family members, which is necessary to prevent community spread?
Free tests aren't the only thing on their way out with federal funding stalled. Uninsured patients will no longer be able to submit claims for monoclonal antibody treatment from the virus, a life-saving tool that has dramatically decreased the death rate in recent months of the pandemic. Science has produced an incredibly effective and safe way to protect people from being hospitalized or dying from this horrific, devastating virus, and the government is cutting supplies of the treatment to states by 30%.
If there is one thing COVID-19 has taught us, it is that we can't solve global health crises as individuals – we need unified, institutional support. So we must put pressure on Congress to do the right thing: pass COVID-19 relief and prevent the coming BA.2 variant wave from wreaking havoc on our communities. Sign the petition now if you agree!
