“Let’s look at his letter really quick. ‘The renewal of a determination’ – so they made a determination that a public health emergency exists. Why does it exist? ‘As a result of the continued consequence of the [COVID-19] pandemic,” said Jaxen. “They’re not saying hospitals are overflowing, cases are spiking [and] people can’t get treatment. They’re saying ‘the consequences.'” (Related: President Biden to extend COVID-19 “national emergency” status.)
And Jaxen knows the reason why.
“They’re benefiting from this. People without insurance can get free vaccines [and] COVID tests. Hospitals are receiving, under the public health emergency, another 20 percent increase in Medicare payment rates [for] treatment of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. There’s an incentive to keep this going.”
Bigtree commented: “If they pull the emergency, they now have to pay for those things. You know, all of these things that are killing people in hospitals, [they] definitely got to keep that going.”
Jaxen also pointed out that the extension of the public health emergency would also extend the validity of the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) issued to the different COVID-19 vaccines.
“The biggest one here for our audience is the EUA. It is under this public health emergency that these EUAs can exist. Right now, there are a handful of vaccines under EUA still. We have the two-dose series [for] just Pfizer alone: The two-dose series for [those aged] 12 and older, the [first] booster, the second booster for [those aged 15] and older and immunocompromised [individuals]. That’s just Pfizer, Moderna has their own.”
“If they removed the emergency, [there’s] no need for [an] EUA. But again, it should be alarming that we’re not moving out of the emergency – even when they tell us the emergency is over. It’s like they don’t want to let go of this grip [on power],” Bigtree said in agreement.
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