US President Joe Biden officially ended the national corona emergency that has been in place in the country for three years on Monday. The United States has been hit hardest by the coronavirus of all countries, with more than a million deaths.
The White House said in a press release that the president has signed into law a bill ending a national emergency. That means there will be no more funds available for Covid tests, free vaccines and other emergency measures. The health emergency, which is different from the corona emergency, ends on May 11.
Although the US government is turning the page on the corona pandemic, it says it will continue to work on a next generation of vaccines and other measures to combat future variants of the virus. The government has committed at least $5 billion in funds to “advance scientific progress” and “stay one step ahead of the rapidly evolving virus causing Covid-19.” “The NextGen project will accelerate and streamline the rapid development of next-generation vaccines and medications through public-private partnerships,” said a senior government official.
‘Title 42’ measure
The end of the health emergency on May 11 should coincide with the expiration of a measure that former President Donald Trump introduced in 2020. In addition, it was possible to immediately deport migrants who do not have a visa, even if they are asylum seekers.
The Biden administration had announced that it would replace the measure, known as ‘Title 42’, with another mechanism to regulate the influx of migrants. A senior White House official said the measure “normally expires on May 11”.
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