The time has come, just a tad bit late but it has come. The U.S. national emergency to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic ended on Monday as President Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution, closing it out after three years.
The White House issued a one-line statement saying that Biden had signed the measure behind closed doors, after publicly opposing the resolution. Last month, the measure was passed by the Senate at a 68-23 vote, leading to Biden’s official signing.
Initially declared on Jan. 31, 2020, ex-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared the public health emergency, with former President Trump declaring the Covid-19 pandemic a national emergency in March.
Since Biden took office in January 2021, he has repeatedly extended the emergencies, broadening the use of emergency powers after entering the White House.
According to ABC News, these changes come with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s COVID-19 mortgage forbearance program set to expire at the end of May, and the Department of Veterans Affairs now returning to in-home visit requirements to determine eligibility for caregiver assistance.
Last year, legislators extended telehealth flexibilities for another two years, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer. This method of health care was heavily critiqued from patients, claiming that proper care cannot be met without physically being with their doctor.
According to the CDC, more than 1.13 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 over the last three years, with an additional 1,773 deaths in the week ending April 5.
Add comment