5 risks if Congress does not pass new COVID-19 funding

COVID-19 cases are rising across the United States, and the country is expected to be hit with a larger wave this fall and winter when the weather turns colder, with as many as 100 million Americans infected.

 

The virus has been defanged to a large degree compared to the early days of the pandemic, by vaccines and by new treatments like the highly-effective Pfizer pills called Paxlovid.

 

But that is only true if those tools are actually available. With the government running out of money for the COVID-19 response, the Biden administration warns that it will run out of those crucial supplies without more funding.

 

And that funding is stalled in Congress, with no clear path forward.

 

Here are five risks if the funding does not go forward.