The Biden administration said this week that it would end the public health emergency for Covid, a sign that federal officials believe that the pandemic has moved into a new, less dire phase.The move carries both symbolic weight and real-world consequences for millions of Americans.Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The end of the public health emergency, planned for May, will bring about a complex set of policy changes and signals a new stage in the government’s pandemic response.Among the effects of the change, access to tests and treatment will be more complicated.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
The lack of free access to tests and treatments for uninsured people will result in fewer people getting tested and treated, leading to an increase in sickness and hospitals becoming more crowded with low-income patients. The pandemic has caused millions to lose their health insurance, resulting in a dire situation for the most vulnerable individuals in the United States.
President Biden has ended the public health emergency declaration for COVID-19, which will trigger changes in the healthcare system such as the ability to prescribe medications remotely, but won't impact vaccine distribution nor terminate the COVID-19 public health programs and funding.
The US has announced its plan to increase its military presence in the Philippines, allowing them to station military equipment and build facilities in nine locations across the country, aiming to counter what it sees as aggression from China.