Public Health Network Leader Blasts Cuts to COVID-19 Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 17 2022
Contact: Cabot Petoia, clpetoia@gmail.com, 828-899-9239
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Los Angeles — Today, St. John’s Community Health responded to the news that Congress has failed to provide an additional $22.5 billion in COVID-19 funding requested by the White House.
“Failing to continue providing comprehensive funding for COVID-19 related care presents a looming threat to the millions of people who are uninsured or have temporary insurance that has been covering COVID-19 related costs so far,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “The pandemic is not over. Without funding, health centers will be forced to significantly scale back our testing, treatment, and vaccine efforts. Meanwhile, there is a potential new variant on our shores, with new COVID-19 infections having gone up 50 percent in Europe. Without a proactive response, we could be facing yet another surge here.
“We’ve put so much funding and effort into battling COVID-19 so far. The idea of giving up in the eleventh hour – after over two years of loss and grief – is ridiculous, irresponsible, and inhumane.”