US lacks tests and therapeutics for COVID-19 wave, White House says

The Biden administration has warned that the country’s ability to confront new variants of COVID-19 as they come will be severely hampered by Congress’s failure to pass additional funding.

COVID-19 tests, therapeutics, and vaccines are covered by the federal government, but the White House said Tuesday that distribution of all three may need to end abruptly or be pared back. Funding for research and development of variant-specific vaccines and more treatments is also drying up, senior administration officials told reporters.