The United States Congress denied funding for COVID-19 treatments and control measures earlier in March. As a result, 1,000 Americans are still dying a day from the pandemic. But American lawmakers think the pandemic is already over. 

Now Americans will be unable to access tests, vaccines, antibody treatments, or other necessities once funding runs out come summer. But politicians, particularly Republicans, don't care.

Six Republican senators signed a letter saying they oppose providing more funding to Americans impacted by the coronavirus. The senators, including Republican leaders Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, wrote, "We will not support any new supplemental COVID funding packages this year, at the detriment of U.S. taxpayers and American families."

They will leave American families with sick family members to face expensive treatments, and insurance company hassles all on their own. The senators – who are themselves members of Congress – blamed Congress for spending too much money. They will now punish American families for their own perceived sins.

Many Republicans claim that coronavirus doesn't pose a problem anymore. "We don't need Covid funding," Rep. Randy Feenstra from Iowa said. Over 9,000 people from his state have died from the virus, but apparently, they don't need any funding to prevent the next thousand deaths.

The rate of new cases has been declining in the U.S. since mid-January. It appears the U.S. is past the peak of Omicron. Therefore, Republicans say the country should wait until they need it to allocate more funds. 

Ignore, for a moment, that there are 30,000 new cases of coronavirus a day just in the United States alone and that the new BA.2 variant is spreading more quickly by the day. The conceit that there is no need for funding for the people getting infected now is bad enough. But those politicians are saying America should be unprepared for the following spike scientists know is coming.

According to a New York Times article from March 19, "Scientists are warning that the United States isn't doing enough to prevent a new surge from endangering vulnerable Americans and potentially upending life again."

Already the surge has begun in Europe after governments got rid of mask rules, just like the U.S. has been doing. European countries, however, have much higher vaccination rates and lower death rates than the U.S. 

If the U.S. wants to limit deaths, they need to get more people vaccinated. But unfortunately, it will be too late when cases are already surging. Tests, pills, and vaccines all take time to produce, and Congress cannot even get a bill passed quickly.

The White House warned, "Without funding, the United States will not have enough additional boosters or variant-specific vaccines, if needed, for all Americans. The federal government cannot purchase additional life-saving monoclonal antibody treatments and will run out of supply to send to states as soon as late May. In addition, the federal government cannot purchase sufficient quantities of treatments for immunocompromised individuals."

We have seen this same story repeat itself over and over again. The U.S. prematurely declares victory over coronavirus, gives up on preventative measures, and is surprised when there is a deadly new mass outbreak. 

After so many new outbreaks and variants, one would think they would learn, but it seems to have had the opposite effect. The failure of their country's leadership has numbed Americans to death and sickness. They just take it for granted that such out-of-control suffering is normal. America's failed leaders have found they can get away with doing nothing and profit from politicization.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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