Biden administration diverting COVID funds toward vaccines

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WILX) - The Biden administration is planning to divert more than $10 billion in existing COVID relief funds to secure the purchase of new vaccines and other pandemic related supplies.

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This decision comes after the administration failed to get additional funding from congress. The funds had initially been earmarked for testing and personal protective equipment.

Even with the redirected funds, the U.S. still won’t have enough money to purchase vaccines for every American in the fall.

The White House had requested $22.5 billion for COVID funding in a broader spending bill. However Democrats and Republicans have been at a stalemate for months and the administration says it has been forced to “cut corners” and make “unacceptable tradeoffs.”

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