On January 7, 2021, United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency as of January 21, 2021. His last extension was on October 2, 2020, and was supposed to last through January 21, 2021, the day after President-Elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
In making the renewal, Secretary Azar tweeted that “[o]ur work to combat the virus will continue, as will our work to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition.” By renewing the declaration, waivers and flexibilities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will extend through at least April 21, 2021.
Additional HHS Funding to Be Released
In addition to renewing the public health emergency, HHS announced that it was planning to release $22 billion in funding to individual states, localities, and territories to support COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution. Of that $22 billion, more than $19 billion will go to states, localities, and territories through the existing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) cooperative agreement for the purposes of testing, contract tracing, surveillance, containment, and mitigation of COVID-19. Funds will be allocated to all fifty states, the District of Columbia, five major cities, and United States territories/islands using a population-based formula.
The other $3 billion will be distributed through the existing CDC Immunization and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement, supporting a range of COVID-19 vaccination activities across those same jurisdictions and also allocated using a population-based formula.
“On top of the substantial support we’ve already provided, the funding bill signed by President Trump in December has billions of dollars in new funding for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “We’re making these billions in new funds available to states as quickly as possible to support our combined efforts to end the pandemic.”
“This funding is another timely investment that will strengthen our nation’s efforts to stop the COVID-19 pandemic in America,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD. “Particularly now, it is crucial that states and communities have the resources they need to conduct testing, and to distribute and administer safe, high-quality COVID-19 vaccines safely and equitably.”
Operation Warp Speed
On January 6, 2021, the team for President-Elect Joe Biden also announced that Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific advisor for Operation Warp Speed, will remain on as a consultant for four to six weeks after the inauguration. This contrasts with prior reports that Slaoui would likely depart from his role by the end of 2020 or early 2021. Additionally, Operation Warp Speed’s chief operating officer, General Gustave Perna will continue to serve and remain in charge of vaccine distribution logistics.