US short of money to fight future COVID-19 variant

SINGAPORE -- The Biden administration has told the Congress that the United States does not have enough money to fight future coronavirus variants, stockpile vaccines or make further technological breakthrough in this regard, local media reported recently.

A document from the US Department of Health and Human Services has shown that the funding for the outbreak response, including testing, vaccine distribution and other medical supplies, has either been spent or earmarked, the Chinese-language paper Lianhe Zaobao quoted a report by Bloomberg as saying.

Shortly after taking office, Joe Biden had been granted a $1.9 trillion fund to battle the outbreak of COVID-19, said Lianhe Zaobao, adding that government officials have disclosed that the funding has almost run out now.