White House to spend USD 10 billion to bolster Covid-19 vaccine effort

WASHINGTON: The White House announced Thursday that it is dedicating another USD 10 billion to try to drive up vaccination rates in low-income, minority and rural enclaves throughout the country.

The effort, which is funded through the USD 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed earlier this month, will include USD 6 billion in funding for community health centers to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and other preventive health care for populations at higher risk for the virus.

President Joe Biden's administration, which will start distributing the money in April to nearly 1,400 centers across the country, said health centers can also use the funding to modify and improve infrastructure and add mobile units.

In addition, the Biden administration said it is allotting USD 3 billion to bolster "vaccine confidence."

The money, which will be parceled out to 64 jurisdictions, can be used by rural, faith-based organisations and by food assistance and housing nonprofits in high-poverty communities to conduct door-to-door outreach and education efforts to urge eligible people to schedule vaccination appointments.

Some of the funding will also be spent to help dialysis clinics provide COVID-19 vaccinations to people receiving dialysis and health care personnel in the clinics.

About USD 300 million is earmarked for community health worker services to support COVID-19 prevention and control, and an additional USD 32 million is for training, technical assistance and evaluation, the White House said.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 545,000 people in the United States, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.